“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other.
Your ancestors refused to listen to this message. They stubbornly turned away and put their fingers in their ears to keep from hearing. They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not hear the instructions or the messages that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had sent them by His Spirit through the earlier prophets.
That is why the Lord of Heaven’s Armies was so angry with them. Since they refused to listen when I called to them, I would not listen when they called to me, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when He judges you.
God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
{Zechariah 7:9-13; James 2:13; Matthew 5:7}