Compassion

Feature 1 – May 2022 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Compassion

In these troubled times, some people are feeling helpless and hopeless. The deaths of loved ones and physical, financial, social and family issues all take a toll on a person. Cries for help seem to be getting louder. Therefore, the need to display the love and compassion of Christ is not only important but also urgent.

“Compassion” can be defined as “an evidence of love with a sincere feeling for, and with, the needs of others.” It goes beyond sympathy, as compassion leads to actions in response to needs. This subject has greatly touched the heart of this writer, for it is apparent that compassion is not simply a topic to be preached or even to be published, but to be practiced daily. We intend to look briefly at the compassion of God, the compassion of Christ in responding to various needs, and His commission to us to tell and show His compassion to others.

The Compassion Of God
The Bible reveals God, who is full of compassion as to His character, attribute and action. David was exposed to a mob of violent men and exclaimed, “But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth” (Ps. 86:15 NKJV). Blessings on the God-fearing man are expressed, “Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He [God] is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous” (112:4). David, in a psalm of praise, pointed out, “The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy” (145:8).

Jeremiah spoke about God’s faithfulness and declared, “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not” (Lam. 3:22). The apostle Paul described Him as the “Father of compassions” when he wrote: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassions, and God of all encouragement” (2 Cor. 1:3 JND).

In the parable of the father waiting for his wayward younger son, we see a picture of our heavenly Father’s love and compassion, as well as other things. This son said to his loving father, “Give me … and … journeyed to a far country” (Lk. 15:12-13 NKJV). But a famine brought him to himself, and he returned home with a different message on his repentant heart: “Make me” (v.19). He had left his father’s house but never left his father’s heart. This young man’s father was not only waiting for his wayward son but was also watching for him. “And he [the son] arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” (v.20). He was fully forgiven and accepted.

Later the father said to his other son, who was critical and non-compassionate toward his brother, “It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found” (v.32). What a compassionate Father! What joy to His heart! What a time of re-clothing, reunion and rejoicing for his wayward one!

The Compassion Shown By Christ
The compassionate Christ was moved by it to respond to various needs. There are many examples, but briefly here are three:

1. Two blind men asked Jesus to open their eyes. “So Jesus had compassion [on them], and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him” (Mt. 20:34).
2. A leper knew he was unclean, untouchable and unwanted by others, but he came to Jesus and asked Him to make him clean. “Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed’” (Mk. 1:41).
3. A weeping widow was taking, with a group, her only, deceased son to the cemetery. “When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ Then He came and touched the open coffin … And He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’ So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother” (Lk. 7:13-15).

What a compassionate Christ, who is able to turn darkness and blindness into light, defilement and the untouchable into cleanness, death into life, and sorrow into joy!

The Commission Of Christ To All Of Us
There was a troubled man with various issues (Mk 5:2-20). He was morally unclean, socially withdrawn, physically strong, continually tormented, and suicidal. This man was controlled by Satan, chained by society, but changed by the compassionate Christ. His troubled life was transformed by Christ, and he was commissioned by Him to tell others. Jesus said to this man, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you. And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled” (vv.19-20). This changed man was sent to his family to tell them of the compassion of Christ. Similarly, Peter has exhorted all of us to have compassion for one another. “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous” (1 Pet. 3:8).

May we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, leading into an intimate fellowship with Him. And may we be filled with, under absolute control of, the Holy Spirit and display Christ-like character and compassion in responding to the cries of hurting hearts in need of help. May we do so even in difficult times, as Jude concludes, “And of some have compassion, making a difference” (Jude 22 JND).

By Emanuel V. John

If we turn from sin by His grace, we shall find Him full of compassion, for He delights to restore all who have sinned. He will, as David wrote in Psalm 23:3, also lead us in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Surely we do not want anything less than this, for when we have sinned we have harmed our own souls, trusting to our own decisions as to how to act. Let us no longer trust ourselves, but the One who promised David, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye” (Ps. 32:8 NKJV).

Yet it is important to be frank and honest in confession, not letting ourselves go too easily or make excuses to render the sin less serious. God knows exactly what the case is, and He expects us to lay our hearts bare before Him in full and genuine confession. When this is so, what relief, comfort and encouragement it brings to the soul! For then we are restored to God, and communion with Him is re-established, very likely to be more sweetly enjoyed than ever before. — Leslie M. Grant (adapted from “He Restores My Soul”)