The dictionary defines compassion as, "sympathetic consciousness of others' distress with a desire to alleviate it." This kind of compassion is not too rare in our world and in my own life. We are sympathetic to others in their distress, and would like to help, especially if it's convenient. But too often it stops right there. We might desire to help, but don't always take action.
For Jesus, compassion always led to action. We see an amazing example of this in Luke 7:11-17. Jesus and His disciples were approaching the city of Nain, when out came a funeral prossession. Verse 12 indicates, "a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow". In that era a woman with no husband and no sons was in a very desperate situation. Jesus knew this and felt compassion for her (verse 13), compassion that led to action. He raised the son back to life. What an amazing miracle! This woman was not seeking his help, there is no indication she even knew who Jesus was, or believed in him. Yet Jesus acted out of sheer and utter compassion. He didn't just feel sympathy, like I would. He didn't just desire to help, like I might. He took action.
We see many other examples of this in the gospels.
In Matthew 15:36 Jesus says, "I feel compassion for the multitude, because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat...", and then he miraculously feeds the 4,000.
Matthew 20:29-34 tells of two blind men who cry out to Jesus for mercy. His response is in verse 34: And moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him. The compassion of Jesus led to action.
Mark 6:34 records, And when He went ashore, He saw a great multitude, and He felt compassion for them becasue they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. Jesus felt compassion that led to action, as he taught the people, telling them truth they needed to hear.
For Jesus, compassion was not just about feeling for hurting people. It was more than a desire to help. It was action. I pray that might be a growing reality in my life as well.
2 comments:
(Hmm..I've tried leaving 2 comments here over the past several weeks, but none show up -- hopefully, 3rd time is a charm)
Just want you to know how challenged I have been by this thought of having a "compassion to action" for the past several weeks. It's one thing to say I care about the lost -- it's another thing to do something about it! As it says in the Proverbs, "Mere talk leads only to poverty, but in all labor there is a profit." How I pray I don't just "talk" about sharing the gospel, but that I "do" something about it.
Thank you Roberta for your blog regarding Christ's compassion. It has reminded me that Christ is not so "Unapproachable", but rather He is a kind and generous savior who calls us to be like Him in taking action for the needy and helpless. I'll remember what you said.
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