Mercy

"Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many." — Gandalf, "Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring."

This week we talked about mercy. This is an important topic, something we all need at some point, yet something it seems people are slow to provide. Mercy is showing kindness to those who are in a tough spot, even and especially when they don't deserve it.

I instantly thought of this quote from Gandalf in the first volume of "Lord of the Rings." It is a powerful sequence because Frodo sees Gollum as devious and believes he should be punished. Instead, Gandalf urges mercy, stating that we don't know how things are supposed to play out and who will have what part to play in the journey to the end.

This is an important part of our faith and theology. One of my favorite passages in the Bible is when Jesus talks about how we should treat others in this world in response to someone who is quick to pass judgement. Jesus reminds us that it is not our place to decide about people — that duty belongs to God — all we can do is show Christ's love — or mercy — to them in this life.

The parable is found in Matthew 13:24-30. It reads, “Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” The implication is that God will sort out the wheat from the tares at the final harvest, our job is to focus on ourselves, on our own conduct.

That is what Jesus modeled with the adulterous woman. She was, perhaps, deserving of punishment. The teachers of the law and the crowd were eager to oblige. Instead, Jesus offered her kindness, mercy to move forward with her life.

He would urge us to go and do likewise.