Compassion

March 4, 2018 - Prayer Warriors

Compassion is sympathy for another’s situation coupled with a desire to change their situation. Christians are called to have compassion for a world in need. Our example is the one shown by Jesus Christ. Jesus spent three years moving from town to town, speaking to people about the love and salvation of God. His desire was to bring the hearts of God’s people back to a right relationship with God. In his travels to reach the people in and around Jerusalem, Jesus taught the people with sincerity, truth and deep love. He had compassion for people, all people, and he showed that compassion be healing their illness and forgiving their sins.

As Christians we are to be imitators of Christ. We are to have compassion for the world. Like Jesus, we must go out into to the world; we cannot wait for the world to come to us. We have to be purposeful, to go beyond ourselves, beyond what is familiar or comfortable to search out the people in the world.

Once we reach the world, then what? Seek to make it better. Feed someone who is hungry. Share a coat or blanket with someone who is cold. Befriend a neighbor who is lonely or tough to love. Pray for widows / widowers, soldiers, children who lack guidance, for those who are ensnared by addictions. Offer to babysit for a single parent who just needs a night off. Take out the trash for an elderly neighbor, every week. We may not be able to heal disease by a single touch as Jesus did, but we can hold a hand, whisper encouragement, pay for a medication co-pay. Through this, we can show the love and salvation of Jesus Christ first in our deeds, then our words.

Prayer

Lord, take us beyond the comfortable, predictable safe boundaries of our current lives. Show us someone in need that we can help. Give us wisdom to know what to do, courage to be involved in the way you want and the resources to accomplish your will. In Jesus name we praise you and thank you. Amen.