[Your Father] makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

– Matthew 5:45

“The quality of mercy is not strained.”

This is a Shakespearean line from The Merchant of Venice delivered during a speech by the character Portia, who’s disguised as a lawyer and arguing for another. Here it is in context of today’s verse, from which it borrows:

“The quality of mercy is not strain’d.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.”

This simple yet profound truth of God’s provision serves as a reminder to soften our hearts. Mercy truly blesses both the giver and the recipient.

This verse follows the Matthew 5:44 command from God to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. We are sons and daughters of heaven, commanded to forgive our debtors as Christ forgives us. We pray daily for such grace using the Lord’s Prayer.

A secular song from the 90s named The Quality of Mercy adds this lyric as a reminder:

Did not I cast the first stone?
Then justify the blame?
Did not He die for my sins
But never would I do the same?

On the just and unjust alike it doth rain.
And the quality of mercy is not strained.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help me to pray, praise, and give thanks. Help me to notice your provision in your simple and everyday gifts that sustain our lives. Give me grace, mercy, wisdom, and understanding. Every good gift comes from above.

Daily Reading: 1 Corinthians 16

– Contributed by Heather Noggle