Four Character Traits of God to Covet

“Don’t tear your clothing in your grief but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.” Joel 2:13 NLT

God’s mercy and grace are powerful combos that we must always desire to experience. Without them, we’ll be punished for every mistake, experience the hardness of life, and grow old with many traumas.

Imagine you’re a child again. You get back home from school with one shoe missing and a torn outfit, all because you played a little too rough.

When God’s mercy speaks for you, your parents won’t punish you for the lost shoe and torn clothes. Because of compassion, they become more concerned about your well-being.

The next day is school day again, so you’re unsure what you’ll wear. When God’s grace comes to the fore, your parents give you a new pair of shoes and another outfit. You don’t deserve that favour, but you got it because your parents love you.

Thanks to Jesus Christ, we experience this combo package daily. When we make a mistake and live in fear afterward, it means we don’t believe God can be merciful and also don’t believe that Christ died for us.

How can we replicate this character of God as we work?

Showing mercy and grace is one trait of a good team member and leader. The anchor scripture shows four character traits of God that we must covet if we want to have His influence.

1. Be merciful: When those you work with do wrong, do you punish them for it? Sometimes, you don’t need to punish people harshly. Displaying actions like holding grudges, saying no to all their requests, or cutting ties are subtle ways we punish those who wrong us. That’s not mercy but an Old Testament law of “an eye for an eye…” Let’s do the opposite.
2. Show compassion: You can try to show mercy grudgingly, but you can’t fake compassion. Without compassion, there’s no mercy. When we’re wronged, compassion sets our hearts in the right place for mercy to flow.
3. Be slow to anger: This doesn’t mean never getting angry, but don’t be easily provoked by the slightest thing. Everyone deserves another chance.
4. Be filled with love: The only way to know the truth about love and show it is to grow in understanding God’s word. This way, when we’re about to take an irrational action, the Holy Spirit reminds us of what love is.

We’re all a work in progress, and sometimes, when I take actions contrary to how God would have me act, I also seek His mercy. Christ died to restore the image of God in us. That’s our hope.

“I act like God.”

How can you be more compassionate and show mercy? How can you show love in situations that should make you angry?

God desires that we become like Him through Christ. Walk with Him, and He’ll work through you.