Compassion Displayed

Feature 3 – May 2022 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Compassion Displayed

He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion. —Psalm 111:4 KJV

Compassion can be described using the following words and expressions: “kindheartedness,” “sympathy,” “a feeling of deep love,” “pity” and “great concern.”

The first mention of “compassion” in the Bible is found in Exodus 2:6, which says, “And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, this is one of the Hebrews’ children.” The fact that a Gentile princess, an Egyptian, was moved with compassion when she saw the baby, Moses, crying implies that this human grace is not unique to godly individuals. However, over and over we see God showing or being moved with compassion, leading to action on His part toward many people.

The Sheep
The following is one such case: “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Mt. 9:36).

As the Good Shepherd He has compassion on the weak, scattered and lost sheep. These sheep were scattered by the ruthless wolf – the Devil – as we are told in John: “But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep” (10:12). Also, in Isaiah 53:6 we see that “all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

He, the Good Shepherd, picks up the faint and little ones in His arms and carries them to safety. The expectation was for Jewish leaders to be good and kind shepherds. However, instead of tending the flock, they fled and left the sheep to the mercy of the evil wolf.

The Sick
In Matthew 14:14 we see how the Lord was moved with compassion for the sick: “And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and He healed their sick.” If you or a loved one is sick, you can be very sure that the Lord Jesus knows of the illness. He is also moved with compassion toward you and that loved one. Be sure also that He is able to heal with just one word from His blessed lips.

However, keep in mind that He will not always intervene in this way, for there are times when He uses sickness to train us as His children. The apostle Paul confronted the assembly at Corinth about the unworthy manner in which they ate the bread and drank of the cup during the meeting of remembrance. Paul said that, because of the way they were behaving, “many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep” (1 Cor. 11:30). Hebrews 12:6-7 tells us, “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?”

Some illnesses are primarily for God’s glory, as we are told in John 9:1-3: “As Jesus passed by, He saw a man which was blind from his birth.  And His disciples asked Him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” There are times when God receives greater glory from us when we are sick and laid aside than when we are well, up and about (consider 2 Cor. 11:7-10).

The Hungry
The Lord Jesus showed compassion on the hungry: “Jesus called His disciples unto Him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with Me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way” (Mt. 15:32). Do you hunger for physical/natural food? The Lord Jesus looks upon you with compassion and knows just how you are feeling, because He also was hungry. Matthew 4:1-2 says, “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungred.” That was a very long time for the Lord Jesus to go without food! Being Man, He hungered afterward.

Please take note, dear reader, that the Lord Jesus is fully Man and fully God. He is not half Man and half God; no, no, no. Jesus is altogether Man and altogether God, and He can therefore adequately provide for you.

The Blind
In Matthew 20:34 we see how the Lord Jesus had compassion on the blind: “Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.” If you are physically blind or visually impaired, please know that the Lord Jesus feels your every difficulty. While the Lord Jesus walked here, I cannot remember one blind person who remained blind in His presence, nor did any who called for help fail to receive their sight.

Yet, there is a greater blindness that He delights to cure. It is the blindness that affects Adam’s fallen race. The apostle Paul refers to it in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, where he wrote: “If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” Friends, this blindness of the mind is far worse than the blindness of natural eyes. May we all be like Bartimaeus who called on the Lord for help, and when asked by Him what he wanted responded by saying, “Lord, that I may receive my sight” (Lk. 18:41).

The Bereaved
The final demonstration of compassion by the Lord toward people that I would like to highlight is when He showed compassion to the bereaved widow in Nain. Luke 7:13 tells us, “When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.” Maybe you are a widow or a widower, or perhaps you are fatherless or motherless. It could be that someone you loved dearly has died. The Lord feels your pain, for He Himself had a good friend named Lazarus who became gravely ill and eventually died. Four days after Lazarus died, Jesus met one of his sisters, Mary. “When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto Him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how He loved him!” (Jn. 11:33-36).

I say to you with full assurance that the Lord Jesus feels your pain. He fully understands and will do something about them. He will cast death into the lake of fire and get rid of it forever (Rev. 20:14).

Encouragement For Us
Throughout the four gospel presentations we see the Lord’s work of compassion and love. This was displayed even while He suffered great agony on the cross. For example, He ensured and committed the care of His mother to John the apostle (Jn. 19:26-27).

It is good and right for the disciple to be as his Lord. Luke 6:40 reminds us, “The disciple is not above his master: but everyone that is perfect shall be as his master.” “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but … blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing” (1 Pet. 3:8-9).

By Milton Jamieson

Having one mind – the mind of the Lord – will lead us to have compassion on one another. The Lord’s “compassions fail not, they are new every morning” (Lam. 3:22-23 NKJV), and the motive behind them must be love. This is not love after a human fashion, but love as linked together in the divine relationships of the family of God. Divine love will lead the Christian to be tenderhearted and humble-minded, and will lead us to feel the sorrows of others while forgetting self. So Christ, not thinking of His own comfort or safety, could go where men sought to kill Him, to weep with two sorrowing sisters (Jn. 11:8,35). Our practical life in the Christian circle is to be governed by the fact that we are called to inherit blessing. In the sense of the grace that has so richly blessed us, we should be ready to bless others even if they have mistreated us. If these simple injunctions were carried out, there would be the setting forth of the excellencies and loveliness of Christ! Lowly, in this world, He ever stretched out His hand in compassion, moved by a heart filled with divine love. —Hamilton Smith (adapted from The First Epistle Of Peter)