1. Romans 12:8 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What does the gift of doing acts of mercy with cheerfulness entail?

Romans 12:8 (ESV)

8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Some church members distinguish themselves by the gift of mercifully looking out for others in need (the sick, those who mourn, and the poor). One must take such a role seriously but also do the work cheerfully. A cheerful visage entails focusing not on yourself but on the other person.1