2025-11-07
Good morning, Dear Ones,
As most of you know, Jane Goodall, the tireless researcher of chimpanzee behavior, passed away at the age of 91. She was on her way to a speaking engagement at the time. Jane was one of my heroines in life, someone with mercy and love for animals, with a keen mind, and who made amazing discoveries that changed our perception of our relationship to them. For example, she was the first to observe and record that humans are not the only tool users. One thing that shines was Jane’s hope and encouragement. She was asked when interviewed by Julie Louis- Dreyfus about death. With the perception of her many years of observations, Jane answered, that “Death is just another adventure. We don’t know what comes afterward but I believe there is something.” Obviously, we believe in the afterlife as followers of Christ, but I found that comforting to consider. Chimps go through grieving just as we do-another observation from Jane that helps us relate better to animals around us. Remember GN 1: 26, “Then God said, ’Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock, and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
What does “rule over” mean? GN 2: 20 clarifies by starting out with man naming all the animals. Because we were given a more complex brain by God, we were to take responsibility for the welfare of the animals and the earth upon which we all live. Sadly, mankind’s sinfulness has included cruelty and injustice in that leadership. Lack of compassion, aggression, and all the other sins we commit have caused us to rip open a division between the various cultures that has led to violence and destruction. This has led to war, famine, and refusal to cooperate with others. Repeatedly, God has commanded us as in Christ’s words in JN 13: 34-35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” Our eternal lives really matter more than anything else. All too often we ignore that truth, swapping them for immediate gratification of one kind or another. This is what Esau did when he exchanged his birthright for a bowl of lentil stew with Jacob [GN 25: 29-34].
It’s important that we recognize the characteristics of mercy. 1) Deep empathy and compassion, such as Jane Goodall had; 2) Desire to alleviate suffering; 3) A motivation to serve; 4) Genuine kindness and love. There is a way for us to assess our degree of mercy. We must honestly observe our reactions to situations which call for mercy. An example might be asking what would you do if you came upon a person lying in the street who had been beaten as in the Parable of the Good Samaritan [LK 10: 25-37]. Reflecting on our emotions at the time helps too. Would you ignore him, panic, or pray and take action to help him? In examining your own actions, what would you learn about yourself? Would you look to others for confirmation? Would you consider how this impacts your spiritual life?
Why should we be merciful and how do we qualify for God’s mercy? The answer is a resounding, “Yes, to follow God’s way, we must be merciful.” HE 8: 8-10, “The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt because they did not remain faithful to My covenant, and I turned away from them,’ declares the Lord. ‘I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people.” What a great promise this is, and we should know that the Lord never breaks His promises!
PRAYER: O Lord, today we pray for us to have mercy, using David’s words from our hearts with genuineness. PS 51: 1-2, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to You great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” You have given us people like David and like gentle souls in the manner of Jane Goodall to teach us how to be merciful, how to use Your mercy extended to us as a model for how we should think and behave. Give us humility, so we can recognize our need to be kind to others and to care for other species and the very earth that is our home. Only You have the power and goodness to use Your righteous power to renew our minds and give us rightful motivation in the treatment of others. We offer You our loyalty, love, obedience, devotion, praise, and thanksgiving, in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: The Holy Spirit commands me to write about what hinders God’s mercy and begin discussing forgiveness. In the meanwhile, I will repeat PS 139: 23-24 as a prayer for each of us. “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” God took care of Jane Goodall in the jungle, even when at first the chimps avoided her, and one banged her on the head. They soon got used to her presence there and accepted her, as she didn’t give up. Like any other new habit, we must start small and gradually build up our mercifulness to make it our own. If we pray “in the shelter of God’s wings” [PS 91: 1-2], mercy can become a very attractive habit. God will urge us on and give us His way. Praise and thanksgiving be to Him!
Grace Be with You Always,
Lynn, JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2025. All Rights Reserved.
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