6 Powerful Stories of Mercy in the Bible

After being betrayed and sold into slavery by his own brothers, Joseph comes to prominence in Egypt. Through Joseph’s faithfulness in slavery and prison, he finds favor with God and Pharaoh, ultimately rising to second-in-command in Egypt to help the kingdom through a severe famine. When the famine strikes Joseph’s family, his brothers unknowingly come to him for help, seeking food for their community. Rather than giving into revenge, Joseph chooses mercy. 

Being second-in-command of Egypt, the most powerful kingdom, Joseph could have used his authority to punish his brothers for their sins. Instead, after a few tests of their character, he reveals to them who he is and shows them compassion. He recognizes how God used their sinful actions to send Joseph ahead to save many lives, even the lives of his family. Despite how they intended harm, God transformed the situation for good. Joseph’s forgiveness restores his relationship with his brother and also his father Jacob (Israel). 

Joseph’s mercy shows us the power of forgiveness to heal broken relationships. His brothers had done wrong, and his forgiveness led to overcoming deep wounds and brought the whole family together again. Joseph’s story encourages us to extend grace when wronged and realize God can bring good out of difficult situations. His vengeance would have resulted in more violence and hurt, while his mercy brought redemption for all. 

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During the time David had favor in Saul’s house, David and Saul’s son, Jonathan, developed a strong friendship. Saul sought to kill David once the young man’s popularity had grown, and David went into exile. After Saul and Jonathan’s death, David finally becomes king over all of Israel, and he tries to find a way to honor Jonathan’s memory. David learns about Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s crippled son.

David could have seen Mephibosheth as a threat since descendants of former kings could be rivals and begin revolutions. Additionally, many would have seen Mephibosheth as cursed by God for being crippled, possibly as a punishment for his grandfather’s sins. Instead, David shows Mephibosheth mercy. He invites Mephibosheth to live in the royal palace and restores all of Saul’s lands to him. David goes even further by having Mephibosheth eat at his table, treating Jonathan’s son as his own.

In this amazing example of mercy, David extends kindness, motivated by his friendship and covenant with Jonathan. He would have been within his legal right to kill all of Saul’s descendants, and no one would have blamed him. But David, a man after God’s own heart, revealed the loving and merciful heart of God. It changed Mephibosheth’s life, restoring his dignity.

We can learn how mercy is more than just sparing someone. Mercy goes beyond, seeking ways to bless others when there is no obligation, just as God extended grace and mercy to us despite our brokenness and previous rebellion.

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In the book of Jonah in the Old Testament, God calls the prophet to travel to Nineveh, a wicked city, to warn their people of impending judgment. As the capital of Assyria, Nineveh infamously attacked Israel and Judah, God’s people. Jonah initially resists, running in the opposite direction. But after being swallowed by a great fish and spending three days inside it, Jonah repents and obeys God’s word. 

Jonah delivers God’s message of doom — they will be destroyed in forty days. Yet the city of Nineveh responds in a surprising way. They repent. From the king to the common citizens, they humble themselves, fast, and pray for God’s forgiveness. Seeing their sincere humility, God decides to be merciful, and they escape his judgment. 

Despite Nineveh’s wickedness, God responds to repentance and spares them. While the original message didn’t even call them to repent, only promised destruction for their sin, they chose to appeal to the mercy of their enemy’s God. When they turn from their evil, God shows compassion, showing us how his mercy extends even to those who appear beyond saving. 

No one is beyond God’s mercy. No one is good enough to deserve it. All of us were once God’s enemy. We didn’t deserve God’s grace, and neither do those we pray for and interact with on a daily basis. God’s always wants to forgive rather than destroy, so true repentance moves his heart. 

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In John, the religious leaders bring a woman caught in the act of adultery before Jesus. According to the Mosaic Law, the punishment for adultery was death by stoning, and they wanted Jesus to either uphold the execution or contradict the law. Since Jesus often taught radical forgiveness, dignified the poor and ate with sinners, the religious leaders thought they had found a way to trap him. 

However, Jesus neither executes the woman or contradicts the law. He kneels and writes in the dirt, a mysterious action. After a moment, he stands and challenges the accusers. “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.” One by one, from the oldest to the youngest, they leave, recognizing either their own sinfulness and inability to judge her or how their actions would affirm their own reputation for religious oppression. Or perhaps both. 

Jesus turns to the woman and offers mercy. Even though he, the only one present without sin, had the right to condemn her, he doesn’t. He says, “Go now and leave your life of sin.” Mercy doesn’t ignore the wrong but leads to redemption and transformation. His forgiveness offers an opportunity to change. His condemnation would have denied her that opportunity. 

We must realize we can do the same; we can acknowledge the sin and offer mercy and forgiveness for the purpose of redemption and transformation. With God’s heart, we seek restoration rather than punishment. Mercy to others opens the door to new life, including freedom from sin.

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Luke records one of Jesus’ parables, the story of a young man who demands his inheritance from his father and then leaves for a distant country to squander it. The young man eventually loses all his money and finds himself destitute. He returns home, hoping to simply be one of his father’s servants, far better than his absolute poverty. The young man couldn’t imagine he’d be treated as a son again. 

While the son was still a long way off, the father sees him and – filled with love – runs to meet the son. Instead of scolding or rejecting him, the father embraces and welcomes his son. The young man has no opportunity to voice his desire to be only a servant. The father calls for a party and puts a robe on him and a ring on his finger, symbolizing full restoration. 

Even though the son’s earlier request for his inheritance expressed how he wanted his father to be dead, an incredibly hurtful act, the father freely forgives the young man and brings in the whole region to celebrate with him. 

As God doesn’t hold our past sins against us, even though we once treated him with the same dishonor, we should seek to offer the same mercy to others who have hurt us. God’s mercy is always available, no matter how far we have strayed. Like God, we should delight in restoring those who come back to him with a humble heart.

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In another parable from Luke, Jesus responds to a question about what it means to love one’s neighbor. In the story, a Jewish man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho is attacked by robbers, beaten, and left for dead. A priest and a Levite, both religious leaders, pass by without offering to help. They see the man’s desperate state but choose to continue on, either from fear or because they have other religious responsibilities. 

However, a Samaritan, someone considered unclean and an enemy to the Jews, comes upon the suffering man. The Samaritan doesn’t walk away. He stops, risking his life since other robbers could be around, and he shows mercy. The Samaritan cleans and bandages the man’s wounds, puts him on his own donkey, and takes him to an inn where he pays for the man’s stay. 

Mercy transcends social, religious, and cultural boundaries. Religious traditions and duties aren’t excuses to refuse mercy and relief. The Samaritan, on the other hand, had every reason to avoid helping, as Jews often showed Samaritan’s hate. On the contrary, he showed compassion based on recognizing shared humanity. 

Mercy involves taking action to relieve people’s suffering, even at personal risk and cost. Jesus challenges us to love our neighbors as ourselves, showing radical mercy and generosity to anyone in need, regardless of their background or our personal differences. 

Peace.

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