Wednesday, 6th September 2026
Rev Xi An Poon
「憐恤人的人有福了！因為他們必蒙憐恤。」
——馬太福音 5:7
八福來到第五福，耶穌說：
「憐恤人的人有福了！」
我們聽見「憐恤」，很容易以為就是同情別人、對人好一點、心軟一點。
但耶穌所講的，遠比這個更深。
因為八福不是八條「做好人的規則」，而是在描寫一個真正活在神國裏的人，他的生命會有甚麼樣的特質。
所以今天我們要問的不是：
「我是不是一個心地善良的人？」
而是：
「我真的明白耶穌所說的憐恤嗎？」
如果我們回到舊約，就會發現「憐恤」不是一個陌生的觀念。
詩篇103:13說：
「父親怎樣憐恤他的兒女，耶和華也怎樣憐恤敬畏他的人！」
這一節很重要。
因為聖經讓我們看見，真正的憐恤不是從人的修養開始，而是從神與祂百姓的關係開始。
神怎樣憐恤祂的百姓，祂的百姓也應該學習怎樣憐恤別人。
到了何西阿書6:6，神又說：
「我喜愛良善，不喜愛祭祀；喜愛認識神，勝於燔祭。」
後來耶穌在馬太福音9:13引用這節經文時，直接說：
「我喜愛憐恤，不喜愛祭祀。」
所以當耶穌在馬太福音5:7說：
「憐恤人的人有福了。」
祂不是突然提出一個新的要求。
祂是在把舊約一直以來神所要的生命，再次放在門徒面前。
今天是敬畏十日第六天。
這幾天我們一直思想回轉、降服、讓心轉回神。
但真正回到神面前，不會只停在我與神之間。
當我越靠近神，我怎樣看人、怎樣對人，也應該開始改變。
一、真正的憐恤，是先知道自己也需要被憐恤
詩篇103:13說：
「父親怎樣憐恤他的兒女，耶和華也怎樣憐恤敬畏他的人！」
為甚麼一個人能夠憐恤別人？
不是因為他比較成熟，
不是因為他性格比較溫柔，
而是因為他知道：
我自己也是一個需要神憐恤的人。
詩篇103篇接下來說：
「因為他知道我們的本體，思念我們不過是塵土。」
神知道我們的軟弱。
祂知道我們有限。
祂知道我們會跌倒。
祂不是不知道我們的問題，祂比任何人都清楚。
但祂仍然憐恤我們。
這就是今天第一個很重要的提醒：
憐恤不是看不見人的軟弱，而是在看見之後，仍然知道人需要恩典。
很多時候，我們對別人缺少憐恤，是因為我們忘記自己也是軟弱的人。
我們看見別人的錯，就很快問：
「他怎麼會這樣？」
「為甚麼講了這麼多次還是不改？」
「他應該早就知道了。」
但當我重新站在神面前，我會記得：
我自己也不是靠完美站在神面前。
我是因為神知道我的本體，知道我不過是塵土，仍然憐恤我。
一個真正知道自己蒙神憐恤的人，對別人的眼光就會開始柔軟。
二、真正的憐恤，會改變我怎樣看人
到了馬太福音9章，耶穌與稅吏和罪人一同坐席。
法利賽人看見之後，就問：
「你們的先生為甚麼和稅吏並罪人一同吃飯呢？」
耶穌回答：
「康健的人用不着醫生，有病的人才用得着。經上說：『我喜愛憐恤，不喜愛祭祀。』這句話的意思，你們且去揣摩。」
這裏就把「憐恤」講得更加清楚。
法利賽人看見的是：
「這些人是罪人。」
耶穌看見的是：
「這些人需要醫治。」
同一班人，
兩種眼光。
法利賽人沒有看錯他們的問題。
他們的確有罪。
但問題在於，他們看見人的問題之後，就停在那裏。
耶穌卻不是。
祂看見罪，
也看見這個人仍然需要被尋回、被醫治、被改變。
這就是憐恤。
所以憐恤不是說：
「沒有關係，你甚麼都沒有做錯。」
而是：
「我知道你有問題，但我不只用你的問題來定義你。」
這對我們很實際。
有時候我們對一個人的看法，已經被他的過去固定了。
孩子曾經失敗，我們就覺得他總是這樣。
同工曾經犯錯，我們就不再信任他。
一個人曾經傷害我們，我們就只剩下對他的負面印象。
但耶穌提醒我們：
真正的憐恤，會改變我們看人的眼光。
不是看不到錯，
而是在錯之外，仍然看見神可以工作的空間。
三、真正的憐恤，是與神同行的人所活出的生命
彌迦書6:8說：
「世人哪，耶和華已指示你何為善。他向你所要的是甚麼呢？只要你行公義，好憐憫，存謙卑的心，與你的神同行。」
這裏雖然和合本用了「好憐憫」，但整段所表達的，正是耶穌所承接的這條聖經脈絡：
一個真正與神同行的人，不會只有公義，沒有憐恤。
聖經沒有叫我們放棄公義。
也沒有叫我們甚麼都接受。
彌迦不是說：
「只要有愛心就好了。」
他說：
行公義，存謙卑的心，與神同行。
所以真正的憐恤，不是軟弱，
也不是沒有界線，
而是一個人在真理中，仍然保留神的心。
我可以指出問題，
但不用羞辱人。
我可以堅持原則，
但不用把自己放在高高在上的位置。
我可以說「這是不對的」，
同時仍然相信神能夠改變這個人。
這就是為甚麼耶穌說：
「憐恤人的人有福了！」
因為這樣的人，生命正在越來越像他所跟隨的神。
八福不是叫我們靠行為換取祝福。
八福是在描寫：
當神的國進入一個人的生命，他會開始成為怎樣的人。
總結
所以今天敬畏十日第六天，我們可以安靜問自己：
我真的明白憐恤嗎？
當別人軟弱的時候，我第一個反應是甚麼？
當別人犯錯，我是不是很快就定下對他的看法？
當別人的表現令我失望，我是否還記得：
我自己也是一個需要神憐恤的人？
真正的悔改，不只是說：
「主啊，赦免我。」
真正的回轉，也會慢慢改變我怎樣看人、怎樣對人。
因為當一個人越靠近神，
他不只是更加聖潔，
也應該更加懂得憐恤。
耶穌說：
「憐恤人的人有福了！因為他們必蒙憐恤。」
今天讓我們重新明白：
真正的憐恤，不只是做人好一點，
而是因為我越來越認識神，
所以我的生命也越來越像祂。
願我們不只是知道這節經文，
而是真的開始活出耶穌所說的憐恤。
今天我們也特別為以色列禱告。
在敬畏十日當中，求神使祂的百姓不只是守節期、守傳統，更真正明白祂的心。
求神在戰爭、恐懼、失去和創傷中，讓人重新學習憐恤。
求神保守受傷的家庭、失去親人的人、孩子、平民、士兵，以及所有仍然活在恐懼中的人。
也求神在仇恨最深的地方，使人仍然懂得：
公義不能失去，
真理不能放棄，
但人的心也不能失去憐恤。
願我們在敬畏神的日子裏，
越來越像祂，
成為耶穌所說：
「憐恤人的人。」
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”
— Matthew 5:7, NKJV
As Jesus comes to the fifth Beatitude, He says:
“Blessed are the merciful.”
When we hear the word “merciful,” we may immediately think of being kind, sympathetic, or simply treating people nicely.
But what Jesus is saying goes much deeper than that.
The Beatitudes are not eight rules for becoming a better person. They describe the kind of life that is found in those who truly belong to the Kingdom of God.
So the question today is not simply:
“Am I a kind person?”
The deeper question is:
“Do I really understand the mercy Jesus is talking about?”
When we go back to the Old Testament, we see that mercy is not a new idea.
Psalm 103:13 says:
“As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.”
This is important.
Biblical mercy does not begin with human personality or good manners. It begins with the way God relates to His people.
God shows mercy to His people, and those who belong to Him are called to reflect that same heart toward others.
Then in Hosea 6:6, God says:
“For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”
Later, in Matthew 9:13, Jesus directly quotes this verse:
“I desire mercy and not sacrifice.”
So when Jesus says in Matthew 5:7:
“Blessed are the merciful,”
He is not introducing a completely new idea.
He is bringing His listeners back to something God had been saying throughout the Old Testament:
A person who truly belongs to God does not merely practise religion outwardly; his life begins to reflect the heart of God.
Today is Day 6 of the Ten Days of Awe.
Over these days, we have been thinking about repentance, returning to God, surrender, and allowing our hearts to turn back to Him.
But true return to God cannot remain only between me and God.
As I draw closer to Him, the way I see people and the way I treat people should also begin to change.
- True mercy begins when I realise that I also need mercy
Psalm 103:13 says:
“As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.”
Why is someone able to show mercy to others?
It is not because he is more mature.
It is not because he naturally has a softer personality.
It is because he knows:
I am also someone who needs God’s mercy.
The next verse says:
“For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.”
God knows our weakness.
He knows our limitations.
He knows that we fall.
He is not unaware of our problems. In fact, He knows them better than anyone else.
Yet He still shows mercy.
This gives us an important truth:
Mercy does not mean that we fail to see people’s weakness. Mercy means that even after seeing their weakness, we still recognise their need for grace.
Very often, we lose mercy toward others because we forget that we ourselves are also weak.
We see someone’s failure and quickly say:
“How could they do that?”
“Why haven’t they changed after all this time?”
“They should know better by now.”
But when I stand before God again, I remember:
I do not stand before God because I am perfect.
God knows my frame.
He remembers that I am dust.
And still, He shows mercy to me.
A person who truly knows that he lives by God’s mercy will begin to look at others differently.
- True mercy changes the way I see people
In Matthew 9, Jesus was eating with tax collectors and sinners.
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked:
“Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus answered:
“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’”
This makes the meaning of mercy even clearer.
The Pharisees looked at these people and saw:
“They are sinners.”
Jesus looked at the same people and saw:
“They need healing.”
The same people.
Two completely different ways of seeing them.
The Pharisees were not wrong to recognise that these people had sinned.
Their problem was that once they saw the sin, they stopped there.
Jesus did not.
He saw the sin,
but He also saw people who could still be found, healed, restored, and changed.
This is mercy.
Mercy does not say:
“It does not matter. You did nothing wrong.”
Mercy says:
“I know there is a problem, but I refuse to define you only by your problem.”
This is very practical for us.
Sometimes our view of a person has already become fixed by what they did in the past.
A child has failed before, so we assume, “He is always like this.”
A co-worker made a mistake, so we no longer trust them.
Someone hurt us, and from that point on, all we can see is that wound.
But Jesus reminds us:
True mercy changes the way we see people.
It does not ignore what is wrong.
But beyond the failure, it still sees room for God to work.
- True mercy is the life of someone who walks with God
Micah 6:8 says:
“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”
This verse helps us avoid another misunderstanding.
Some people hear the word “mercy” and assume it means never confronting anything, never setting boundaries, and simply accepting everything.
But that is not what Micah says.
He puts three things together:
Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.
So true mercy does not remove justice.
True mercy does not remove truth.
True mercy does not remove healthy boundaries.
True mercy means that even while standing in truth, we still carry the heart of God.
I can point out what is wrong,
without humiliating someone.
I can hold to a principle,
without putting myself above another person.
I can say, “This is not right,”
and still believe that God can change that person.
This is why Jesus says:
“Blessed are the merciful.”
Because this kind of person is becoming more and more like the God he follows.
The Beatitudes are not telling us to earn blessing by our behaviour.
They are describing what happens when the Kingdom of God begins to shape a person’s life.
Conclusion
So on this sixth day of the Ten Days of Awe, we can quietly ask ourselves:
Do I really understand mercy?
When someone is weak, what is my first reaction?
When someone fails, do I quickly form a final opinion about them?
When someone disappoints me, do I still remember:
I am also someone who needs God’s mercy?
True repentance is not only saying:
“Lord, forgive me.”
True repentance also begins to change the way I see people and the way I treat people.
Because the closer a person comes to God,
the more he should not only grow in holiness,
but also grow in mercy.
Jesus says:
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”
Today, may we understand that mercy is not simply about being a nicer person.
It is the life of someone who is learning to see others through the heart of God.
Today, we also pray especially for Israel.
During these Ten Days of Awe, may God draw His people beyond outward observance and religious tradition, and bring them back to His heart.
In the midst of war, fear, loss, and trauma, may mercy be restored.
May God protect grieving families, children, civilians, soldiers, and all those still living under fear and pain.
And even in places where hatred runs deep, may people remember:
Justice must not be lost.
Truth must not be abandoned.
But neither should the human heart lose mercy.
May we, in these days of fearing the Lord,
become more like Him,
and become the kind of people Jesus described:
“Blessed are the merciful.”
Zion Bread of Life Christian Church 
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