This is another blog post that I wrote many years ago. I have now updated it, but its message remains unchanged: God alone deserves all our worship, glory and praise.

Someone Cares

The Mercy of the Good Samaritan

Jesus told the story of a man who was travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by thieves. They stripped him, wounded him and left him lying helpless beside the road.

A priest came along, saw the injured man and passed by on the other side. Later, a Levite did the same. Perhaps they believed they had more important duties to perform. Maybe they were afraid of becoming ceremonially unclean, or perhaps they simply did not want to become involved.

Then a Samaritan arrived. The Jews and Samaritans did not normally associate with one another, but this man did not allow prejudice to prevent him from showing compassion. He treated the wounded man’s injuries, placed him upon his own animal and carried him to an inn. He even paid for the man’s care.

The Samaritan did more than speak about mercy—he put mercy into practice.

“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him.”
—Luke 10:33

Someone Cared Enough to Telephone

One day I noticed that I had missed a call on my mobile phone. When I returned the call, the person apologised because they had passed me standing at a bus stop and had been unable to stop and offer me a lift.

I did not mind because I value my independence. Unlike the wounded man in Jesus’ story, I was not lying helpless beside the road. Nevertheless, I appreciated that they had cared enough to telephone and explain.

Sometimes the smallest action shows someone that they have not been forgotten.

Mercy Within Christian Fellowship

Sadly, even within Christian circles, people can be quick to criticise and slow to show compassion. Someone makes a mistake or falls away from the Lord, and before long, others are talking about it.

Rumours can damage a person’s reputation. As the old saying goes, “Give a dog a bad name, and it will stick.” Another saying declares, “There is no smoke without fire.” However, smoke can sometimes be created by people who enjoy stirring things up.

We should therefore be careful not to believe or repeat everything we hear. Give people the benefit of the doubt, listen to both sides and remember that once a damaging story has been repeated, it cannot easily be taken back.

Jesus warned us:

“Take heed what ye hear.”
—Mark 4:24

He also said:

“For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.”
—Matthew 7:2

The children’s chorus gives us a simple but important reminder:

“O be careful, little ears, what you hear,
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love.”

When Is Mercy Truly Mercy?

Mercy means showing compassion and kindness to someone who is suffering or who may be deserving of punishment. It is not merely a religious word—it is something that must be demonstrated through our actions.

When a woman caught in adultery was brought before Jesus, her accusers wanted her to be stoned. They were more interested in condemning her than restoring her.

Jesus said:

“He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”
—John 8:7

One by one, her accusers departed. Jesus then said to the woman:

“Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
—John 8:11

Jesus did not pretend that her sin did not matter. He offered both mercy and a new beginning. True mercy does not celebrate wrongdoing, but neither does it take pleasure in destroying the wrongdoer.

A well-known story tells of a soldier who deserted during the time of Napoleon and was sentenced to death. The soldier’s mother pleaded for mercy.

Napoleon reportedly answered, “Your son does not deserve mercy.”

The mother replied, “If he deserved it, it would not be mercy.”

That is the very nature of mercy: it is given to those who cannot claim that they deserve it.

Does Jesus Care?

The hymn writer asked:

“Does Jesus care when my heart is pained?”

The answer is a resounding yes. Jesus cares when we are rejoicing on the mountaintop, and He still cares when it feels as though the mountain has fallen upon us.

His heart is touched by our grief. He sees every burden, hears every prayer and knows every tear.

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
—1 Peter 5:7

The greatest evidence of His love is found in these familiar words:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
—John 3:16

The Potter and the Clay

The world often blames God for everything that has gone wrong. People ask why God did not prevent them from making wrong decisions, while refusing to acknowledge His authority over their lives.

But can the clay accuse the potter because it has become marred? The potter does not necessarily throw the clay away. He patiently works with it and makes it again into another vessel.

“And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel.”
—Jeremiah 18:4

What wonderful mercy! When our lives become damaged and broken, God is able to remake us through His grace.

Speaking Up for Christ

As a young Christian, I worked as an apprentice on the construction of the new City Hospital. During our breaks, around fifty tradesmen would gather in a large room.

One man regularly spoke about communism. He believed it offered perfect fairness and was the answer to society’s problems. I felt that I should speak about Christ, but I remained silent.

For several weeks, the Lord continued to convict me. I eventually prayed, “Lord, if You give me another opportunity, I will speak up for You.”

About four months later, I returned to the same building site. Once again, we gathered in that large room for tea, and the same man began speaking about communism.

This time, the Lord gave me courage.

I explained that no man-made political system could remove selfishness from the human heart. Jesus, however, lived a life of perfect love and selflessness. He went about doing good, healing the sick and helping those in need. He did not seek wealth, power or earthly recognition.

Despite all the good He did, He was rejected and crucified. Yet on the third day, He rose triumphantly from the dead.

The room became completely silent. Everyone looked towards the young apprentice who was usually as quiet as a church mouse. The Lord gave me the words, and I continued speaking about Christ. I cannot remember everything I said, but I remember that the men listened.

That day taught me that when God gives us an opportunity to speak for Him, He can also give us the courage and the words we need.

The World Still Needs Jesus

The world believes it can create peace, justice and fairness without God. Yet no political or economic system can change the sinful condition of the human heart.

Only Jesus Christ can transform a person from within.

People may blame religion for the world’s troubles, but cruelty, selfishness and oppression also flourish under systems that reject God entirely. Wherever Christians are imprisoned or persecuted for peacefully practising their faith, claims of freedom and equality ring hollow.

The world does not merely need another political theory. It needs the mercy, truth and transforming grace of Jesus Christ.

When people pass us by, Jesus stops. When others condemn us, Jesus offers mercy. When our lives are broken, He reaches down to restore us.

Someone cares—Jesus cares.

“Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty—
At Calvary.”

Mercy is not simply something we say. Mercy is compassion put into action.

       GOD IS A GOOD GOD

GOD KNOWS, GOD LOVES, GOD CARES

Written for Georges Web Ministries.com

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                  27th August 2016