“The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,” was part of my early childhood memories in our home where we had a fireplace. In the days leading up to Christmas morning, my parents would use the stockings as a reminder to me to be well-behaved. They would say, “If you do not act right, you will get coal in your stocking.” This would be an incentive for me to calm down and to obey. It would not always stick, and the reminder would have to be given to me again….and again…and again leading up to Christmas. Yet, in all the years of living at home, I never got coal in my stocking. I was always greeted on Christmas morning with trinkets, candy, and small toys in my stocking.
Some might say mercy was shown to me. I surely did not deserve the gifts in the stocking and to be truthful, probably deserved the coal or nothing at all. Mercy is defined in the Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, “compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one’s power.”
In Luke 1:78, Zechariah states, “Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us.” The one who has been promised, Jesus, is the Light who is evidence of God’s tender mercy upon His Creation. Earlier Zechariah had stated, “He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant” (Luke 1:72). God’s faithfulness is apparent in His fulfillment of His covenant promise made to Abraham and to His promises for a Messiah to be born.
During Advent, we are reminded of God’s mercy shown to us in Emmanuel, God with us. Mercy is, as one author noted, “compassion in action.” Mercy is where God is providing a way for us out of slavery to sin and death, to a new life of freedom through the Messiah, Jesus. Our actions are not always consistent with God’s will for our lives, and we deserve the punishment and consequences for our disobedience and sin. Yet, out of God’s great love for us and God’s active compassion, He sent His son, born in a manger to bring life and light.
As we move closer to Christmas, let us be reminded of God’s mercy coming to us in the baby born in the manger. Let us be mindful of God’s love being poured out on us as we experience mercy and as we seek to be people of mercy to family, friends, coworkers, and people in our community. Let’s not seek to be coal givers, but gift givers during this Christmas season.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your mercy. Thank you that through your mercy and grace I do not get what I deserve. Thank you for your compassion in action. Amen.