The Name of God is Mercy

“God” encompasses many things, like patience, benevolence and omnipotence. There’s one word, however, that God encompasses most: mercy.

God is often compelled to make a choice between mercy or punishment, and he always chooses mercy. For example, “Do not let the sun go down on your anger” (Ephesians 4:26) tells us to let go of our anger before the sun sets, so we can wake joyfully the next day without resentment.

A lot of people have misinterpreted this quote as an instruction to hold onto your anger. That fits with the interpretation of God as vengeful – a far cry from the idea of God as merciful.

Mercy is what connects people to God, not anger or hate. God’s mercy is the anchor that stops people from spiraling into a life of sin. It reminds them that life has meaning. God’s mercy allows people to remember that they’ll always be loved and their attempts to live righteously aren’t in vain.

When people repent to gain God’s love, they strive to live better lives and make the world a better place. Faith in the mercy of God makes people want to help others as well. As it says in Psalm 145:7-9, “He executes justice for the oppressed; he gives food to the hungry.”

God also tells us that he’ll answer us when asked, which stops people from trying to take matters into their own hands. Imperfect humans are naturally less merciful than God, so important matters should not be entrusted to them alone.

God’s ability to show mercy rather than cause destruction is also a sign of his power. The same goes for humankind. That’s why God sent Jesus to be an example for humankind, so we could learn from a being in our own form.