Learning to Show Mercy When Others Don’t Show It to You - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - September 12, 2025
"And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: 'This is what the Lord Almighty said: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other" (Zechariah 7:8-10).
When someone is mean to us, the last thing we want to do is to be nice to them. During college, a girl would always be mean to me. I'm not sure why she was hateful to me, apart from the fact that I didn't blend in with everyone in the friend group. Everyone in the friend group looked like this girl, whereas I just looked like me. While this would be seen as extremely shallow and not Christian of her, it is something that happens more often than not within the Christian community.
The idea that individuals can only be friends with people who look like them is far removed from anything Jesus taught us. Nonetheless, this is how this girl behaved, and she wanted me to know that I didn't belong in the friend group. And at the end of the day, she was right. I didn't belong with this group of friends because they were not nice to me, I never felt comfortable around them, and I was trying to be somebody I was not. It took me years to realize that I'm just me, and that's okay.
Maybe I don't come from a prestigious or functional family, but I'm still worthy because I'm a child of God. And you are worthy too. Even if others have been mean to you like this girl was to me, you are more than worthy. As children of the King, we have an eternal home in Heaven that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28-29). Nobody can take this away from us, as they are gifts from God.
Sadly, all of us will continue to face mean people, similar to this girl I met in college. They will dislike us simply because of how we look, how we talk, or how we are different from them. While I was never mean back to this girl, there have been times when I returned someone's hatred with my own hatred. This is something that we don't need to do. We never need to return evil for evil (1 Peter 3:9). Instead, we must return it with compassion and mercy.
Today's Bible passage focuses on this truth: "And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: 'This is what the Lord Almighty said: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other" (Zechariah 7:8-10). This passage shows the Lord speaking through Zechariah to the people of Israel. He tells them to administer true justice, show mercy and compassion, and not oppress the widows, the fatherless, the foreigner, or the poor.
As believers, we need to take the Lord's words to heart. We shouldn't ever be mean to others or look down on them. We have to administer true justice and show mercy and compassion. In our dealings with others, we need to make sure we are always kind, compassionate, merciful, and fair. Additionally, we need to help widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. When we do this, we will bring glory to the Lord.
We cannot control the actions of others, but we can control our own actions, words, and behaviors. Even if other people do not treat us in a Christian way, we still need to treat all people with respect. God will be pleased with our actions when we follow Him and obey His teachings in Zechariah 7:8-10. In our daily lives, we need to ask ourselves how we can apply these teachings to our lives. Maybe we don't have anyone in our life who is being mean or unfair, but we still can apply these teachings to our Christian walk.
We can turn to the Lord whenever we are unsure of where to start or when we need strength. He will be faithful in helping us and giving us comfort.
"Dear Lord, please help me to show mercy and compassion to people even when they are mean to me. Help me also administer true justice and help the widow, the fatherless, the foreigner, and the poor. I want to bring glory to You and obey You fully. Thank you for helping me and giving me strength. In Your Name, I pray, Amen."
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/fizkes
Related Resource: Soft Words for Hard Days: A Conversation with Aundi Kolber
Some days feel heavy. Some moments leave us wondering how to keep going. If you’ve ever longed for encouragement amid life’s hardest moments, I have a special episode of The Love Offering for you. This week, I’m joined by therapist and bestselling author Aundi Kolber to discuss her latest book, Take What You Need: Soft Words for Hard Days. This beautiful collection of quotes, scriptures, prayers, and gentle exercises is designed to be a balm for your most tender places—a reminder that you are never alone on your journey to healing.
In our conversation, we explore:
✨ How to hold space for yourself and others in difficult seasons
✨ The power of compassionate words when life feels overwhelming
✨ Practical ways to embrace healing and take one more step forward
If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe to The Love Offering on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
