Forgiveness is giving up the emotional need to punish someone who has mistreated you.  Forgiving isn't easy, but you will never have peace of mind until you do.

Jesus told the parable of a man who owed a king a great amount of money.  The man begged the king for leniency.  The king, out of the goodness of his heart, forgave the man's debt. 

This man then confronted someone who owed him a small debt.  The second man begged for extra time, but the forgiven man threw him into debtors' prison.  When the king found out what had happened he punished the man he had forgiven saying, "Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?"

Jesus then said, "So my heavenly Father also will do unto you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses" (Matthew 18:22-35).  When you refuse to forgive, you not only twist your own emotions into anger and despair, you damage your ability to respond to God's forgiveness.

The lesson of the parable is that since God shows us mercy we are to show mercy to others.  Mercy is a common theme in Proverbs.

Points to Build On

There is a number of Hebrew words translated mercy in the New King James.  A common word is checed which encompasses "the attitude of love which contains mercy".  The word is defined by "love, benevolence, kindness, good will, favor, grace, mercy, piety, loyalty, unfailing love, beauty" (NASB Hebrew/Greek Key Study Bible).  In the New American Standard translation this word is sometimes rendered "lovingkindness" which captures some of the meaning.

1.  God exhibits mercy in supplying Atonement for our sins.

Proverbs 16:6:  "In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil."

2.  Mercy should be a vital aspect of a person's character.

Proverbs 3:3-4:  "Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, Write them on the tables of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man."

3.  Mercy is the product of planning to do good.

Proverbs 14:22:  "Do they not go astray who devise evil?  But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good."

Good doesn't always happen naturally.  It must be thought-out and planned.  Jewish Publication Society translation:  "Surely those who plan evil go astray, While those who plan good earn steadfast love."

4.  Mercy produces kindness.

Proverbs 21:21:  "He who follows righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness and honor."

Jewish Publication Society translation:  "He who strives to do good and kind deeds attains life, success and honor."

5.  Mercy produces benefits for the person who posses it.

Proverbs 11:17: "The merciful man does good for his own soul, But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh."

Jewish Publication Society translation:  "A kindly man benefits himself; A cruel man makes trouble for himself."

6.  Good leadership is based in mercy.

Proverbs 20:28:  "Mercy and truth preserve the king, And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne."

Application

Mercy is more than granting someone pardon because you have the power to do so.  It is the heartfelt expression of lovingkindness towards the person who has done wrong.