The other night my girlfriends and I were together for our weekly Bible study, and we got on the topic (which had absolutely nothing to do with the topic in the book we're currently reading) of compassion. It was a good discussion, and I came away from it wanting to learn more about what God says about compassion.
Colossians 3:12 - Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
I like that phrase clothe yourselves. It's as if to say, "don't just keep it in your house, but wear these attributes." When I wake up in the morning, I need to remember to put on my compassion - and keep it on all day! I think a key to being compassionate is empathy. If I can't understand what another person is going through, how can I feel compassion for them? I think the hardest thing is feeling compassion for people who've made big mistakes. I can't help but think, "It's your own fault you're in that position. If you hadn't (blank) then you wouldn't be (blank)."
Matthew 25:34-40 - "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
Then the King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"
I realized something. Jesus doesn't say how the person got in their predicament. Obviously they - or people around them - made some bad choices to become needy: People who are hungry and thirsty, needing clothing and a place to stay, ill or in prison. We are supposed to show compassion to the least of these (ie, those in need) whether they've done anything to deserve our compassion or not. It doesn't matter if they made big mistakes in the process. It's not easy to admit that my lack of compassion is directly linked to my pride. (Romans 12:3 - Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.)
John doesn't make it any easier in 1 John 3:16-18 - This is how we know what love is; Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
Yikes. I can't tell you how many times I did not feel pity for someone who probably could have used it. Now, I'm pretty sure that John isn't saying that we should just feel sorry for people in need. Rather, he's saying if we can help, we should.
James 1:27 says - Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself being polluted by the world.
And James 2:15-17 - Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it not accompanied by action, is dead.
I guess what I'm getting at, is that it's not enough just to feel compassion towards people. We have to
SHOW compassion to them. It's not enough to wish them well and pray for them. If we can do something to help, we should. Compassion looks different depending on the circumstance, but I believe that it is always accompanied by humility. When I humble myself, I can see that if it weren't for the compassion of other people, I probably wouldn't be where I am today. Moreover, when I think about how gracious and compassionate God has been with me, I am humbled even more.
Imagine what this world would look like if we all showed one another the compassion that God has shown us.
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