But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”

– Matthew 12:7-8

I’m always interested in what Jesus chooses to quote. Here it’s Hosea 6:6, and He also quotes it in Matthew 9:13. Why would Jesus repeat that mercy is preferred to sacrifice? Both seem like good practices. Sacrifice for me, has generally been about money – something we talk about in annual “stewardship” discussions. We’ve thought about it annually in weighing our commitment.

As I’ve learned to be retired, I’ve found that we’ve traded income for time – discretionary time. Even though I tend to be shy, I’ve been able to invest more time in relationships. In thinking about the difference between sacrifice and mercy, it occurred to me that I’ve made sacrifices without much attention to relationship building. Mercy seems different; I think it requires a relationship. It reflects Jesus’ priorities; people come first, individuals in relationship. Mercy follows.

The truth is I depend on God’s grace and mercy so regularly that I tend to slip into taking it for granted.

PRAYER:

Father, Son, Spirit, help me be mindful of the extravagant grace You lavish on me every day, and help me reflect that in my willingness to show mercy and grace to others. Teach me to pause and find mental sabbath during my day – time to reflect on Your mercy.

– Bob Dilly