Mercy vs. Cruelty
Commonplace –
“The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh” (Proverbs 11:17).
In Proverbs 11:17, the writer tells us that showing mercy is not only good for those we are giving mercy to but also for us; it is a double blessing. Because when we are merciful, we are obeying the words of Jesus in Matthew 22:30, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself”.
Cruelty leaves its mark on our soul. As Matthew Henry notes in his Commentary, “A cruel, froward, ill-natured man, troubles his own flesh, and so his sin becomes his punishment; he starves and dies for want of what he has, because he has not a heart to use it either for the good of others or for his own” (698).
Works Cited
Henry, Matthew. “Proverbs 11:17.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.
Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.
© 2026 Angela Hormberg
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