The book of Genesis teaches us that God began a sacred unit He called the family, and Adam and Eve were the first family. Family is the most wonderful place to be in the world. It serves as a shelter and refuge from the world. But, all of us know all to well that family is often messy. The home can be, at times, the hardest place to show mercy. Relationships can get frustrating and confusing, especially if there are children. Along with that comes tension and with tension comes not only frustration but also a change in our attitude. 

If we are honest, it is often easier to show mercy to strangers than to someone close to us. But, when we are unmerciful to our family, we have the greatest potential to cause deep hurt and pain. Some of you may be experiencing that right now. I want to give you four key ways you can begin today to show mercy at home. Let’s read our passage.

(1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited, 5 does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs. 6 Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends.

What does this passage teach about showing mercy?

1.     Love overlooks Irritation and Offenses

The focus of the previous verses centered on the emptiness that is produced when love is absent. In these verses it is the fullness of love that is described. Love is patient with people and gracious to them with generosity. So, love is an action and something that can be seen and not just a imagined concept.

Anger is the most mismanaged emotion in the human mind. But sometimes it might be the most appropriate response. There is good anger. There also is bad anger. But, anger is a God given capacity and managed anger is an asset. But, sometimes we stuff anger. Sometimes we blow up. Other times we clam up. We are either a skunk or a turtle. But love focuses on the other person. It says, “I love you anyway”. The more we feel God’s love, the more we show it. So how loving are you? How loving are you to your family?

2.     Love is kind when others don’t Deserve it but Need it

There are VDP’s in this world. Do you know what that is? A Very Draining Person. Destructing people. Disappointing people. I heard a statement once that said, “Hurt people, hurt people”. Maybe it’s because our society confuses Love and Lust. Unlike Lust, God’s kind of Love is directed outward toward others, unselfish. This goes against our natural inclinations. It is impossible to have this kind of Love unless God helps us set aside our own desires so that we can love and not expect anything in return. Mercy is often difficult and inconvenient. But the pathway to Peace is through the miracle of mercy. The more we become like Christ the more we will show love to others.

3.     Love lets go of Past Hurts

Patience is the capacity to be wronged and not retaliate. We can see in earlier chapters of this Book (1 Corinthians 6:8) that this church had many members who had been wronged in such ways as being taken to court and the poor being treated badly. The Apostle said that the response of love in all these things would to be to display kindness and goodness.

Love does not record a record of wrongs and hold a grudge. People who love others don’t keep records of their offenses. They offer forgiveness over and over again. Jesus did this (Luke 23:34). Stephen did this (Acts 7:60). Even though these people killed them.

4.     Love is devoted to the Truth in everything

In verse seven Paul expresses the limitless character of love’s actions when he says “all things“ in front of every verb. He is relating that love protects without limits. The noun equivalent of this word means “roof.” Such as a roof that covers and protects a house. This also includes the idea of endurance. In other words, it is the willingness to “put up with” and place a protective cover over the missteps of others (1 Peter 4:8). But not only that but is willing to accept the pain that it causes themselves (1 Corinthians 9:12).

Loving someone is easy when they don’t challenge our affection by failing. Love’s quality becomes evident when it must endure trials. I must confess; my wife has taught me this. The NT challenges us to persevere in our Christian walk (John 5:2-5). As Christians, we should look to the length and perseverance of Christ’s Love as the standard of our own love.