Tag: compassion

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A Heart of Compassion

Have compassion on a fallen brother

Matthew 9 I Desire Compassion

One of the marks of the ministry of Jesus was His compassionate spirit for His people who were suffering. Twice in this chapter He reminds the religious leaders that this is the true ministry of His kingdom. What was it that He saw and the religious leaders did not and often we do not as well? He saw the heart of mankind, but unlike like the religious leaders who saw with their physical eyes but not their spiritual eyes, Jesus saw the heart and had compassion. 

Matthew recorded these stories to remind his Jewish audience that Messiah sees and understands all. Also, he shared these stories one after another to remind them that one must see with the heart not just the physical presence, which is what Messiah did. 

So where should we have a heart of compassion? Recently a friend shared out of her heart the hard news of her son’s suicide. How do we respond to news such as this? It is not to wear the cloak of the Pharisee’s judgment but the cloak of the words of Jesus: “But go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”[Matt 9:13] 

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Which Person Am I/Are You?

Luke 10 The Samaritan Teaches Us Grace

Jesus uses a simple story to show us how to put aside all preconceived ideas of what Grace looks like and answers the question: who is my neighbor? Interestingly, Jesus tells this story, which follows His meeting with the Samaritan woman to show men that God is impartial. God loves all and He demonstrated that when He sent His Son to die for us who are partial and evil.

The backdrop of this story is that a religious expert sought to trap Jesus in asking: who is my neighbor because in his heart he was partial to Jews and hated Samaritans. So Jesus presented this story to show him what true grace is and how it behaves.

Jesus began his story by sharing what all men think; thieves are self-centered individuals who do not care for the needs of others. Truth: that is why they are called thieves! Jesus continued; a man is accosted by robbers who beat him and steal all he has. Two others come upon this scene; a priest and a Levite, who have been taught about acting godly, yet their life reveals that actions were not more critical, so they stop and see but then go on their way leaving the injured man with no help. They arrogantly look the other way; is this how we react? What was the reason? Jesus leaves the motivation of each to our imagination. A third man, a Samaritan, is on his way, but his heart of compassion demonstrates impartiality for one in distress. He stops and sees the need and puts aside his own journey to help another. He is the godly example and teaches us what true grace is: actions speak louder than words.

The question is: which man are we? Do we see a need and meet it or go on our way saying we are too busy or the injured is “not like us.” What do we do?

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God Is Still On The Throne

God is our constant

Job 18 to 20, “Where is the Compassion?”

When we are suffering, we need compassion; do we not? But, Job’s three comforters are anything but! He asks them, “how long will you torment me and crush me with your words.” We should take this as a lesson. Do we respond as these three men? Job’s heart is crushed. He is in pain. The last thing he wants to hear is that he is suffering because of some sin he is unaware of. Job says ten times you have reproached me. Where is your compassion?

While all of this is happening, heaven is silent. Have you ever thought heaven had shut its doors? Have you ever asked like Job; where are you, God? That has to be the hardest road to travel. When God is silent, we find it hard to be faithfully waiting and at peace, and it doesn’t help when others share harsh words. If there is one truth we can cling to at this juncture, it is what Job shared next:

“I know that my Redeemer lives and that at the last he will stand upon the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh, I shall see God Whom I shall behold, and whom my eyes will see and not another.”

We all need that reminder.  If you are facing a hard time like Job, underline that verse, memorize it, and cling to it. God may be silent, but He is still on the throne where He was yesterday and is today and will be tomorrow.  

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The Heart of Compassion

1john 3 to 5 compassion2a

Advent Series 1John 3 to 5 “The Gift of Compassion”

Compassion is the trait of sharing and caring for others in their time of need. The Apostle John lived his last years in Ephesus but his heart is seen for those less fortunate, like the prisoners he ate, slept and worked with on the Isle of Patmos. He never mentions that time other than in Revelation but we can see his heart in this letter.

First, he notes that there are those who have lost loved ones to death and he mourns with them but reminds them that if they were believers and have entered eternity they will see Christ as he is. Don Wyrtzen wrote a hymn who shares this sentiment: “But just think of stepping on shore-And finding it Heaven! Of touching a hand-And finding it God’s! Of breathing new air-And finding it celestial! Of waking up in glory-And finding it home!”

Because we are here in an earthly realm John wants us to keep the gospel message alive and we do it as he and James said. “love other fellow Christians.” Then John asks a pointed question: how can you say that the love of God resides in you if you lack compassion to those in need? This is one of those pointed “ouch” questions. John wants us to know Him as He is known and reach out to others in their time of need.

It may be Christmas but the message is the same: Christ is the gift God has given to us and we are to share that gift with others.

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Thorns; Thistles and God’s Will

thorns 1thess 5aThorns and Thistles are part of our world and when experiencing them we respond with “ouch.”  But, we also meet them as thorny people. Their attitude and countenance say, leave me alone.  You ask how they are doing but their response is a cold shoulder. OUCH. We think what did I do to deserve that? You fail to respond instantly when another is hurting and they offer unkind words. OUCH!   It seems they carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. They have been pricked and want you to feel their prick as well.  Yet holy people don’t prick with thorns but God’s compassion. The prescription is to

  • Always rejoice.
  • Constantly pray.
  • In everything give thanks.

But how do we do that when with the thorny people who unruly, fainthearted, weak and yes antagonistic? We are to admonish them and to esteem them highly in love. The “thorns” remind you to rejoice, pray, and be grateful knowing that God is in charge, not us, and He is working this that they might know and trust Him in all circumstances.  This is God’s will for them and us because we are reconciled to Himself through Christ’s sacrificial death and are therefore a new creation in Christ.

Stop and think about this. When we respond in a thorny fashion we are grieving or extinguishing the Holy Spirit’s power. OUCH.  Don’t be a thorn. Today choose joy, prayer, and gratitude. Don’t let the thorns prick you taking away your joy and don’t you be a thorn in return. Listen carefully to the voice of the Spirit!

 

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What is True Compassion?

MaTTHew 15 compassion2

The Apostle Matthew, the tax collector, knows true versus false compassion.If there was on Apostle that truly understood rejection by the religious establishment, it is Matthew. That is why it is important that we see this chapter through his eyes and why he intertwines the religious leader’s false faith and the Canaanite woman’s true faith so we might have a heart for those who are seeking mercy and healing.

Do we recognize true faith as Jesus did or are we like the religious leaders who were guided solely by their traditional faith path which says: “Truth is what you’ve always been taught.” (Mark Mittelberg). This is where we all need to learn compassion and Jesus used this lesson to bring that home to their and our consciences.

The disciples were only concerned that Jesus had offended the religious leaders but Jesus wanted them to learn a higher lesson: prejudices and hypocrisy rule those who are blind. To further teach this lesson Jesus takes the disciples to the area of the Gentiles,to the Canaanite area that the Jews so despised. The disciples were concerned that Jesus had offended them but Jesus will teach them that those who are truly seeking will come and not be offended when the truth is revealed. This Gentile Canaanite woman clearly understood one truth that we all need to know:

Jesus is not only the Son of David but He is Lord and He is merciful.

He wanted the disciples to see themselves for who they really were: hypocrites no better than the religious leaders because they allowed prejudice to rule their compassion meter.

How often are we dependent upon our traditions or are ruled by our prejudices? True compassion sees the crack in the heart which needs healing. He who “knows what is good to do and does not do it is guilty of sin.”[James 4]

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Psalm 68 “God Springs Into Action…”

The pdesert clouds Nick Tong2salmist beautifully records his thoughts about God in all of his glory as he exalts him in the descriptions as the true God, the God of the heavens who rides his chariots upon the clouds and across the desert sands. God’s perspective is from on high and from there He leads for He who goes before us is also blocking the way of the enemy who seeks to harm us. Chris Tomlin’s praise song “Whom Shall I Fear” captures some of these thoughts:

“I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind, the God of angel armies is always by my side”

Also, Paul visualizes this powerful majestic God when he writes:  “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Paul knew the truth that when our archenemy is on the prowl “God springs into action.” Thus, He alone is worthy of our praise whether he rides on the desert or in the heavens in his chariot. He is our victorious leader and we are to extol his virtues for he cares for the least and rescues them.  His power is limitless and his compassion is revealed:  “He is a father to the fatherless and an advocate for widows.”

In these challenging times continue to cling and trust him. God is performing his work in your life that his name might be glorified. There is a purpose and a plan that we may not see but this one thing we do know; 1Co 2:9 “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

Photo: Unsplash.com/Nick Tong

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The Compassion of Christ

Mark 1 compassionate christaAs we are walking through Passion Week and soon will celebrate Resurrection Sunday it is important for us to step back and look at the life of Christ and the writer Mark will be our guide. As we begin we see that Mark reveals the urgency of Christ’s message to a world wallowing in sin. He shows us His authority over the physical elements of sin. He shows us His compassion over us who are held in the grip of sin.

It is this last element that grips our hearts this week as we see our blessed Savior hung on a cruel cross because men were blind by choice to who Jesus truly was. He was a man yet he was God in his humanness. He was as the demoniac said “the Holy One of God” to show us His goodness and His love for mankind. He was a man who walked, talked and saw the effects of sin yet with a heart of compassion. It was this character quality we see as he silenced the demons, with gentleness lifted an ailing woman from her sick bed, reached out to a leper to heal him not just because he was able but because he was willing. This is the gospel or good news we are to proclaim this week for we have the message, we have been touched and healed.

Beloved there are people all around us who are wallowing in sin and Christ is the authority who can heal them because He is the Compassionate Christ. May we take time this week to show and reveal compassion to another.

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