Mercy and Grace

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Ruth 2:15-16 “When she rose to glean, Boaz commanded his servants, saying, ‘Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not insult her.’ And also you shall purposely pull out for her some grain from the bundles and leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.”

By the Law, Ruth had a right to glean among the corners of the field. By Grace, Boaz pulled grain from the bundles for her, and she was even given the right to glean among the sheaves. Not just mercy, but grace! Boaz had gone beyond what was called by the law and had generously blessed her.

Mercy is not getting what we deserve and Grace is getting what we don’t deserve. I once read a story about a father wanting to teach his son a lesson about the grace and mercy of God. The son had disobeyed his father and as a punishment was ordered to stay in his bedroom for three hours. But after an hour the father went into the boy’s room and told him he could now come out. He then took the boy down to the local supermarket and bought him an ice cream. Letting him off his punishment was Mercy, but the ice cream was definitely Grace! Our Lord goes way beyond mercy and gives us so much grace.