MERCY - RECEIVED AND RENDERED

I was musing over some past writings and came across one which reminded me of an evening when I was working with our fourth son, Brendan, as he was memorizing some lines from William Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice.

“The quality of mercy is not strain’d, it droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven upon the place beneath.

It is twice blest: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes, ’tis mightiest in the mightiest: It becomes the throned monarch better than his crown.

His sceptre shows the force of temporal power the attribute to awe and majesty, wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings: but mercy is above the sceptre sway: it is enthroned in the hearts of kings: it is an attribute to God himself: and earthly power doth then show likest God’s mercy season’s justice.

Therefore, Jew, though justice be thy plea, consider this, that, in the course of justice, none of us should see salvation.

We do pray for mercy, and that same prayer doth teach us all to render the deeds of mercy.”
(Act IV Scene 1)

I have always appreciated words of wisdom well written, but as I listened to Brendan repeat these melodic phrases over and over, Shakespeare’s message sang powerfully into my soul.

I had taught and believed for some time the reality of the Savior’s atoning act, but on this evening the power of His grace and the futility of all I do, without that merciful act, resounded to the core of my existence. My search for salvation was totally dependent on the submission of the Son to the will of the Father.

For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved , after all we can do. (Book of Mormon – 2nd Nephi 25:23)

What an enlightening discovery that giving mercy is the use of power, a power which generates greater power. Satan has labored to persuade man that it is through dominance and force that we gain power over others. The truth which rings in our hearts is that we gain real power when we free others from obligations and burdens which might encumber their relationship with us.

Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things. (Book of Mormon – Jacob 4:7)

The merciful man doeth good to his own soul. (Old Testament – Proverbs 11:17)

By mercy and truth iniquity is purged. (Old Testament – Proverbs 16:6)

Can it be, that in the same merciful way the Savior became the master of all mankind, to a much lesser degree we gain a portion of this peculiar power by lightening the burdens of our neighbors through our miniscule merciful means.

I suspect, if we totally understood the extent of the change which would come upon our lives as we learn to emulate and exercise our pittance of the quality of mercy, we would study about mercy, we would practice mercy and we would gratefully receive the mercy extended to us from others.

My prayer is that, not only during this season when thankful words spill forth as if supplied by an everlasting horn of plenty, but each day as the morning sun wakes us to another day and as we joy in the privileges and opportunities of each day, and again as we prepare to lay our heads on freshened pillows we will remember:

“The quality of mercy is not strain’d, it droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven upon the place beneath.

It is twice blest: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes, ’tis mightiest in the mightiest: It becomes the throned monarch better than his crown.

His sceptre shows the force of temporal power the attribute to awe and majesty, wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings: but mercy is above the sceptre sway: it is enthroned in the hearts of kings: it is an attribute to God himself: and earthly power doth then show likest God’s mercy season’s justice.

Therefore, Jew, though justice be thy plea, consider this, that, in the course of justice, none of us should see salvation.

We do pray for mercy, and that same prayer doth teach us all to render the deeds of mercy.”
(Act IV Scene 1)