Spiritual Gifts – Mercy

As believers, God has given us spiritual gifts to be used
effectively in expanding His ministry on earth. One of
those gifts is Mercy and when it is effectively used, it can
have a huge impact on others who are hurting and may feel
alone (it is a characteristic of Jesus, so we know it is good).

CHARACTERISTICS:
1. Has the ability to feel an atmosphere of joy or distress
of an individual or group.
– Can discern the feelings of an individual or group.

2. Has a tendency to be attracted to, and understand people
who are having mental or emotional distress.

3. Has a tenderness, an openness, a willingness, and a capacity to suffer.
– Can understand a person’s problem, feel what they feel,
and suffer along with them.
– Can weep with joy with the person who is hurting.

4. Has a desire to remove hurts and bring healing to others,
rather than looking for the benefits of the hurts.

5. Has difficulty in letting someone hurt…even when he or she
understands that “the hurting” is part of God’s overall plan
to bring them to where He wants them to be.

6. Has a greater concern for mental distress than for physical distress of others.
– Is concerned with the inner hurt.
– Reaches out with genuine love and caring that is soothing and healing.

7. Has a sensitivity to words and actions which will hurt others.
– He or she knows how they can be hurt, and,
as a result, knows how others can be hurt.

8. Has a tendency to react harshly when intimate friends are rejected.
– Is loyal to friends.
– Can project himself or herself into another’s situation,
and feel as they would feel.

9. Has an ability to sense genuine love.
– Has a greater vulnerability to deeper
and more frequent hurts from the lack of love.
– Can detect insincere love that may be expressed verbally.
– Can be hurt easier than others.
– Needs to sense a protective care from his or her mate.
– Can hurt on a deeper level than others,
resulting in a tendency to ‘back off’ from those who hurt them.

10. Has a need for deep friendships in which there is mutual commitment.
– He or she understands, needs, and gives commitments.

11. Has a need to measure acceptance by physical closeness and quality
time together, which helps to re-vitalize an emotional draining.

12. Enjoys and feels a unity with
those who are sensitive to the needs and feelings of others.
– Is not attracted to critics.

13. Has a tendency to avoid firmness until he or she
sees how it will bring benefit and eliminate greater hurts.
– Has difficulty in standing back and letting someone hurt,
even when he or she knows that it is in God’s master plan.

14. Closes his or her spirit to those who are insecure or insensitive.
– Cannot stand hypocrisy.
MISUNDERSTANDINGS:
1. The sensitivity to the spirit and feelings of others:
– May cause some to feel he or she is guided by emotion rather than logic.

2. An avoidance of firmness:
– May appear to be weakness and indecisiveness.
Note: He or she creates a healing atmosphere
with his or her sensitive and caring presence.

3. The sensitivity to words and actions which cause hurt:
– May appear to be taking up another person’s offense.
– Takes up for the other person.

4. The ability to detect insincere motives:
– May cause some to feel he or she is hard to get to know.

5. The attraction and understanding of those in distress:
– May be misinterpreted by those of the opposite sex.
Note: The danger of a female with this gift.
– In an effort to help, she may unknowingly lower
herself to the sin level of others.

Note: The danger of a male with this gift.
– In being understanding, the other person tends to lean on him,
and may offer favors as a reward for his understanding.

There are some distinct differences in the use and results
of this gift when a person is ‘walking in the Spirit’
versus ‘walking in the flesh’.
1. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
Attentiveness.
– Aware of what is going on around him or her.
– Sensitive to the needs of others.
1. WALKING IN THE FLESH
Lack of concern for others (develops an “it’s all about me” attitude).

2. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
Sensitivity to areas where others need encouragement, concern, etc.
2. WALKING IN THE FLESH
Callousness (looks for the bad instead of the good in others; critical),
which brings others down instead of comforting and lifting them up.

3. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
Fairness (understands that others are different than them,
and accepts them as they are).
3. WALKING IN THE FLESH
Partiality (choosing sides).
Makes efforts to change others.

4. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
Compassionate (senses the needs in others, and knows how to meet them).
4. WALKING IN THE FLESH
Indifferent (the needs of others are no longer important; self-centeredness).

5. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
Gentleness, kindness etc. (characteristics of Jesus).
5. WALKING IN THE FLESH
Harshness (treats others with disdain and contempt; judgmental)

6. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
Deference (respect of other people’s feelings).
6. WALKING IN THE FLESH
Rudeness (inconsiderate of the feelings of others; impatient).

7. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
Meekness; kind, gentle, caring.
7. WALKING IN THE FLESH
Anger (including passive aggressiveness and retaliation).
Unforgiving (holds a grudge; overlooks God’s forgiveness).