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乍一看，耶稣似乎是在说，因为我们怜恤了别人，所以会得到别人的怜恤。那么我们可能会认为，每当我们耐心地回应一个尖叫的婴孩，或者我们选择不取笑老板汗流浃背的狼藉时，我们都在赚取“怜悯积分”。当这一切都完成后，我们认为神会察看我们的积分，并因我们对他人的仁慈而赏赐我们。

在这种观点中，神的怜恤完全取决于我们的表现如何。

但如果是这样的话，福音对我们许多人（包括我自己）来说就是坏消息。

值得庆幸的是，福音的确是一个好消息，这意味着尽管我们不配，但神已经白白向我们显明了祂的怜恤。耶稣来到世上，在罪人还没有试图做什么来赚取救恩之前就已经拯救了我们。神的怜恤是源自祂的属性。这是祂身份的一种表达，因祂深爱祂的百姓。

我们发现，当我们表达仁慈时，我们会因此而蒙福，因为这是我们归属神的证据。怜恤是表明我们已经被神的怜恤所改变。它表明我们认识到，我们宽恕人并不取决于我们自己仁慈的能力。相反，我们的怜悯能力标志着我们懂得神的宽恕，并且我们甘愿彰显祂深沉而无条件的爱。

At first glance, it may seem that Jesus is saying we will be shown mercy because we have shown mercy to others. Then we might think we are racking up “mercy points” every time we respond patiently to a screaming toddler, or we choose not to make fun of our boss for sweating through his shirt. And when all is said and done, we think God will look at our tally and reward us with mercy for all the times we have been merciful to others.

In that view, God’s mercy depends entirely on how well we perform.

But if that’s the case, the gospel is bad news for many of us (myself included).

Thankfully, the gospel is the good news that God has freely shown us mercy although we don’t deserve it. Jesus came into the world to save sinners before they ever did something to earn it. God’s mercy flows out of his character. It’s part of who he is, and how deeply he loves his people.

We find that we are blessed when we show mercy, because it’s evidence that we belong to God. Mercy is proof that we have been changed by God’s mercy. It shows we realize that our own forgiveness does not rest on our ability to be merciful. Instead, our capacity for mercy is a sign that we understand God’s forgiveness, and that we want to show his deep and unconditional love.