Get what you deserve??????

My husband and I love giving our daughter gifts that make her happy.  To be honest, she very rarely "deserves" these gifts.  We don't do it because she deserves it, we do it because we enjoy giving her good gifts.  As I read my devotional this morning the following scripture was mentioned:

Micah 6:8

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁸ He has shown you, O man, what is good;
      And what does the LORD require of you
      But to do justly,
      To love mercy,
      And to walk humbly with your God?

THe part that stood out to me was "To love mercy".  It has made me ask myself do I "resent" or do I "love" mercy.  Do I walk in the grace of God or do I walk with a striving spirit?  When doing things for Noah (my daughter),  her being deserving of it is rarely a factor in my decisions.  When I think about Noah's future and the life we want to give her, it has nothing to do with her behavior or her being "deserving" of a certain type of life.  Now, because her father and I know what kind of life we have planned for her we take disciplinary measures to prepare her heart.  I believe that God does the same with His children.  In our culture we focus a lot on "works" and "merit" and "accomplishments" of individuals.  But when it comes to "giving" and "mercy" in God's kingdom, the gifts and/or rewards  reflect more on the heart of the giver, rather than the "merits" of the receiver.