How to Be Merciful to Everyone

[How to Be Merciful to Everyone]( Current Teaching Series [A Faith That Works When Life Doesn't – Part 4]( [Listen to Today's Broadcast]( [How to Be Merciful to Everyone]( By Rick Warren — 01/19/2021 [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email]( “Treat everyone you meet with dignity.” 1 Peter 2:17 (The Message) The Bible says God expects you to show mercy to everybody. How are you supposed to do that? Here are three simple, practical ways to be God’s agent of mercy in the world. Forgive people when they mess up. “When people sin, you should forgive and comfort them, so they won’t give up in despair” (2 Corinthians 2:7 CEV). The normal reaction when somebody hurts you is to want to either get even or write them off. But a merciful person forgives the fallen. Part of the Lord’s Prayer says, “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us” (Luke 11:4 NLT). When you pray this, you’re saying, “God, I want you to forgive me as much as I forgive everybody who’s hurt me.” Are you ready to pray that prayer? Be patient with people’s quirks. We all have our idiosyncrasies and irritating habits. That’s right—even you! When you refuse to get upset over other people’s habits, you are showing mercy. During the pandemic, while so many people are stuck at home, the most important marriage advice I can give you is Ephesians 4:2: “Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults” (TLB). The first place you need to show mercy is at home. Show respect to people you disagree with. You don’t have to agree with everyone. But you can disagree with people without being disagreeable. God says, “Treat everyone you meet with dignity” (1 Peter 2:17 The Message). Does that include people you disagree with and don’t like? Yes. Treat everyone with dignity. Jesus gets really radical about mercy. In Luke 6:35 he says to love your enemies and do good to them. That starts with laying down your need to be right and to win the argument every time. Do you want to win the argument, or do you want to win people to Christ? To win people to Christ, choose mercy. When’s the last time you did something good for an enemy? When’s the last time you did something good for somebody you totally disagree with politically or spiritually? When’s the last time you showed mercy to someone in your home? God sees when you choose mercy, and he will honor your obedience. It will often be difficult, but it will always be worth it to be merciful, just as God your Father is merciful. [PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>]( Talk It Over - Who has recently hurt you the most? How can you show that person mercy? - Which is more difficult for you: to show mercy to an enemy or to show mercy to someone in your family? Why? - Why do you think Jesus says to not just love your enemies but also to do good to them? The post [How to Be Merciful to Everyone]( appeared first on [Pastor Rick's Daily Hope](. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email]( [Get the Daring Faith Study Kit when you give a gift to support Daily Hope]( Last year challenged us all, which is why this year it’s so important to choose faith over fear and step out boldly to make a difference for Christ. Find out how you can live with more freedom, joy, and impact this year with Pastor Rick Warren’s 6-session DVD study kit, Daring Faith. Complete with a study guide and devotion for each day, this resource will help you build a life of bold faith, take more initiative, and face your fears head on! [LEARN MORE]( [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)]( Includes 10 full-length messages from Pastor Rick's series Daring Faith: The Key to Miracles. [LEARN MORE]( [Series Summary]( Message 1: A Faith That Passes the Test of Life Message 2: A Faith That Knows the End of the Story Message 3: A Faith That Doesn't Need to Hoard Message 4: A Faith That Handles Wealth Wisely Message 5: A Faith That Helps Me See the Truth Message 6: A Faith Known for Integrity Message 7: A Faith That Can Transform Weaknesses Message 8: A Faith That Can Heal Illnesses [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST]( Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Linkedin]( Enjoy today's devotional? Listen to Pastor Rick’s daily audio teaching at [PastorRick.com]( Did someone forward this devotional to you? [Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.]( As the founding pastor of Saddleback Church with his wife Kay, Dr. Rick Warren leads a 30,000-member congregation in California with campuses in major cities around the world. As an author, his book [The Purpose Driven Life]( is one of the best-selling nonfiction books in publishing history. It has been translated into 74 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in all formats. His book [The Purpose Driven Church]( was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the century. Rick also founded [The PEACE Plan]( to address five global issues—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. You can listen to Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope, his daily 25-minute audio teaching, and sign up for his free daily devotionals at [PastorRick.com](. © 2020 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe by clicking the link below. Sent to: {EMAIL} [Unsubscribe]( Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, 23182 Arroyo Vista, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688, United States