Thoughts on Mercy

People ask for mercy because they've reached a point in their life where they need to keep going, but do not have the ability to go further.


A criminal begs for mercy because he knows he is about to be sentenced and has no ability to stop it.


A student begs for mercy because the due date has come and he does not have his assignment finished.


A sinner begs for mercy because he has seen his end and knows he is powerless to prevent it.


A victim begs for mercy because the power of life and death rests in the hands of his captor.


A patient begs for mercy because no man can add an extra hour to his life.


Mercy is one of those things that is simple enough when you sit and think about it, but it is a very difficult thing to live for. For example, mercy can only be begged for. You need to be in a place of humility and weakness to authentically ask for mercy; if you believe that you can handle whatever problem is currently being thrown at you, you cannot ask for mercy. Mercy means that you are asking for something that you have no way of getting by yourself. You are putting what you need entirely into the hands of another.


That is why you need to be in a place of weakness to ask for mercy. Several people ask for mercy knowing that, if they do, they will receive it. That is not begging for mercy, it's an exchange. The currency for getting something is asking for it. Their is no such exchange for mercy. You beg because you realize that their is a chance of you not getting what you asked for, a chance of you not getting what you need. In some ways, this takes strength. It takes strength to look at a situation and admit that you do not have control over it. It takes strength to be authentic with yourself. But all this does is get you to admit that you do not have the ability to get what you want?


How can a criminal secure his own pardon?


How can a student guarantee an extension?


How can a sinner secure his own forgiveness?


How can a victim get his own freedom?


How can a patient end his own death sentence?


A very sorry truth about Darwinism is that the strongest are those who dictate the rules of society. As much as I wish that victims would be given their freedom, simply wishing for it will not give them anything. As much as I wish that a patient would walk away healthy, simply wishing for it will not provide them a cure. Only those who have power in these situations have the ability to act.


I used to believe that those who had the power to give mercy should give those who suffer a reprieve. I used to think that mercy was lifting a person's burden off their shoulders. I used to think it was giving them a moment to pause.


Saving the criminal from jail.


Giving the student an extension.


Forgiving the sinner.


Freeing a victim.


Healing a patient.


But then I looked at these situations and I realized another very sorry truth. A reprieve is, after all, only a reprieve. People are put back in these situations. We are pulled from an evil only to go back to it, either willfully or forcefully.


A freed criminal can continue to commit crimes.


A student given an extension can turn in other assignments late.


A forgiven sinner can sin again.


A freed victim can be caught again.


A healed patient can still get sick.


I said earlier that it takes strength to admit where you are in life. I still believe it does, but I do not think that is the only requirement to truly understanding mercy. The most terrifying criminals are those who believe that crime is the best way to act. The worst patients are those who realize that their lifestyle is bad for them and refuse to change it. It takes one kind of strength to admit that you are in a bad situation, but it takes another kind of strength to believe that your bad situation should change. 


It's the difference between saying "This sucks, but what can you do about it?" and "This sucks, something should be done about it." We need the strength to face the reality of the situation, but also the desperate hope of wanting it to change.


I believe that true mercy is when one person who is strong gives another person the ability to be strong. I'm not trying to say that a reprieve in a lousy situation is not good or helpful. Sometimes, a reprieve is a good gift. But it is not mercy, because the problem remains and it often gets worse. In fact, it seems like giving a person the ability to become strong is a longer and more difficult process than just giving them a reprieve. But it is the only thing that can end the cycle of problem -> reprieve -> problem.


A criminal does not need to be freed. They need to stop committing crimes. They need a good mentor.


A student does not need an extension. They need to learn foresight and good study habits. They need a good teacher.


A sinner does not simply to not feel guilty. They need to become someone who cannot sin. They need a good judge.


A victim does not simply need freedom. They need to have the power never to be oppressed again. They need a good hero.


A patient does not need medication. They need to never get sick again. They need a good doctor.


Thinking of this made me feel bad for the person asking for mercy and the person who gives it. The giver of mercy forces people through the most difficult tasks and hopes that the person they are helping will keep moving through it. A person given mercy needs to keep moving through painful circumstances with only the word of their teacher that things will get better. It is a delicate balance, but I believe this is what mercy is. It's the only way that makes sense to me.