Compassion
By John Hendrix
In a world of violence and hate, Christians shine as lights in the world through the compassion they show to one another:
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:35)
Even the world understands how a group of people should treat each other (Matthew 5:46- 47).
Compassion--springing from love--is not simply some warm feeling that a person has for another, it is--in Webster's words-- "sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it." Compassion acts as well as feels. A compassionate man does not simply sorrow over the troubles of others, he tries to help them out.
Jesus said that this action is required for salvation. In Matthew 25:34-46 Jesus said that He took our treatment of each other personally. Those who care for Jesus' brethren in times of trouble care for Him; those who ignore the distress of His brethren ignore Him. The first group will be granted eternal life, the latter, eternal punishment.
Compassion extends to all areas of life. Jesus demands compassion when "judging" each other. Jesus "stood up" for His disciples in the face of unwarranted criticism:
But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. (Matthew 12:7)
Jesus was quoting Hosea 6:6 where God, once again, tried to teach His people how to worship Him acceptably. All of the sacrifices in the world avail nothing if we do not treat each other with compassion:
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? (Micah 6:8)
"Blessed are the merciful," Jesus said in Matthew 5:7, "for they will obtain mercy." Do you ever need mercy? Then be sure to show mercy to others.
In another famous quote, Jesus taught:
Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. (Matthew 7:1-2)
Do not be harsh in judging others or you will be harshly judged.
A compassionate man will not let a brother fall away quietly, but he will tread lightly on the holy ground of another Christian's heart:
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)
If you act out of compassion, you approach your brethren with careful concern for their souls:
Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. (James 5:19-20)
The self-righteous have always been quick to condemn others while having little time to patiently teach them. Not so with a true child of God. His goal is the salvation of all those who hear him (1 Timothy 4:16):
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. (1 Thessalonians 5:14)
Paul had the authority and the provocation to do nothing but "lower the boom" on the rebellious at the Corinthians church. Instead, he struggled in prayers and letters to turn them back to God.
Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. (2 Corinthians 12:19)
Whether by criticism or praise, Paul desired nothing but their edification. He did not desire to "put them down" but lift them up. May we all be so with each other.
The absence of compassion is often the mark of hypocritical self-righteousness:
For [the scribes and Pharisees] bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. (Matthew 23:4) But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. (Matthew 23:13)
When we make up laws for God, when we fail to be patient, when we judge harshly, we do not edify, rather we sow the seeds of discouragement. By these things we turn our brethren away from the path of light, and towards eternal damnation.
If we do this, be sure that we are following them to destruction.
And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. (Mark 7:7)
For Christians compassion extends beyond the family of God. Jesus taught that the second greatest command (second only to the command to love God) is to love our neighbor (Luke 10:27). The scribe asked, "who is my neighbor"-- possibly seeking to limit the requirements of love. Jesus answered with the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-36). The point was plain: a good man seeks to show neighborly love to anyone who needs his help.
Here is the heart of compassion: concern for the distress of others, coupled with a determination to relieve that distress.
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27)
Through compassion we will aid each other in our journey to eternal life.