Five Minute Friday: Mercy

"Have mercy!"

My kids have been watching episodes of "Full House" lately.  To say that Uncle Jesse has a thing for women would be a understatement.  In the first couple of seasons he goes from woman to woman ... to woman to woman to woman (ad nauseum) and with each innuendo, each suggestive flutter of eyelids or swing of the hips, and in response to every pouty pair of lips that moves to proposition him, he declares with a groan and a lolling of the eyes, "Have mercy."

Just who is he talking to, anyway?

I don't remember any episodes where he reflects back on his string of shallow, meaningless relationships.  But, having survived more than a few myself, I can imagine what he might think if he did.

In Season 4, John Stamos's character marries and though he initially speaks his catchphrase in relation to Becky quite a few times, my kids tell me that by the last couple of seasons his exclamations of "Have mercy" have all but ceased.  Maybe that indicates he's maturing.  Maybe it diminishes as the tedium of marriage and parenthood sets in.

Maybe the producers got sick of hearing it, too.

The show began when I was in college, and I remember finding Mr. Stamos quite attractive, though his flighty dating habits left a bit to be desired.  It would still be a few years down the road, though, before I recognized my own propensity to do the same thing (without the groaning catchphrase, of course).  I had a few long-term relationships, but otherwise I tended to flit from guy to guy, seeking validation, every successful chase reinforcing my sense of self-value.

Years later, I would apologise to more than one of them on Facebook.

I finally gave up.  I realised that what I was doing was self-destructive, not to mention hurtful to others, and I gave up.  I begged God to strip me of my restlessness, to make me satisfied with Him alone.  With a groan of regret, I cried, "Lord, have mercy!"

Eventually, I met my husband, who I have already said I chose over Orlando Bloom.  I suppose I could also say I chose him over the Jesse Katsopolises of the world.

As it turns out, I would need more mercy along the way and God knew just the man to give it to me.



"Where is the god who can compare with you— wiping the slate clean of guilt, Turning a blind eye, a deaf ear, to the past sins of your purged and precious people? You don’t nurse your anger and don’t stay angry long, for mercy is your specialty."  Micah 7:18 (The Message)

 
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