THURSDAY 2 FEBRUARY - FIND HAPPINESS BY SHOWING MERCY

Read Micah 6:1-8. Many people spend a lifetime pursuing happiness and yet never seem to find it. In one small verse, God sets out the requirements for finding true happiness. We’ve been looking at the three requirements beginning with the first yesterday. We explore the second today, and the third tomorrow.

When you look at others, do you see their good points, or their bad ones? Someone who chooses to judge, criticise and second-guess others often ends up miserable. It makes those around them miserable too!

Instead, God encourages us to “love mercy”. Actually, the Hebrew word is ḥesed and it means so much more than mercy. Ḥesed is covenant love. It is the love that binds us together with God. In human terms, it is the deepest love a spouse has for their husband or wife or that a child has for his or her parent. We are to love that same covenant love so that it binds us together with those around us, whoever they are.

Happiness then, comes from loving others and giving ourselves away to them. If you choose to be an agent of mercy, an agent of ḥesed, then you’ll be happy and so will those around you! Life will be so much more enjoyable. If you want to be happy, show mercy.

THINK IT OVER

Think about the following:

Think of someone who has judged, criticised or second-guessed you. Can you pray for that person? Why or why not?