DEVOTION / Napoleon's mercy

Napoleon is not known for his mercy. Usually Napoleon is remembered for his ruthlessness because his armies spilled blood across Europe. 

Each week 316NOW compiles news about China that caught our attention. Tap here to see those archives.

A portrait of mercy

French artist Louis LaFitte (1770–1828) captured a scene from Napoleon's life that depicts his mercy.

In the portrait, Emperor Napoleon is meeting with Princess Hatzfeld, the wife of Marshal Hatzfeld, governor of Berlin and Napoleon's representative. Napoleon had written evidence that the governor had plotted against him. He sentenced the marshal to death. The princess threw herself at Napoleon's feet. She begged him not to execute her husband. Moved by her tears, the emperor invited her to burn the evidence and destroy all legal reason for her husband's execution.

Unmerited pardon. The result of mercy.

God’s mercy

Because of his mercy, the Lord of Armies has forgiven us. The perfect God who despises our sinfulness has taken away all evidence of our faults, crimes, and failures. He used nails to destroy the evidence, not fire. "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross" (Colossians 2:13-15).

Nailed to the cross, all documentation of our imperfection was shred beyond reconstruction. Because of the cross, "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

That is the ultimate display of mercy -- and kindness and love. That mercy is the reason Paul could assure Titus and us, "When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy" (Titus 3:4,5).