Jude 22 is one of my favoirte verses: "And of some have compassion, making a difference." Maybe I like that verse so much because I have experienced that kind of compassion that made a difference. You see, there was a time in my life that I was not in the church. I wasn't living for the Lord. It was love and compassion from God's people that brought me back to the path of Light. That is another story perhaps for another time, but I will say that I was literally loved back into the church.
I truly feel that having compassion for others is one of the most powerful ways for a Christian to use their influence and glorify God. If we are to be like Christ, then we are to be a compassionate people for He was full of compassion. Let us consider some scriptures together.
Matthew 9:36 - "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." (Just a couple of verses later, he told His disciples, "the harvest truly is plenteous")
Matthew 14:14 -"And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and He healed their sick."
Matthew 15:32 --before the feeding of the four thousand -- "Then 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."
Matthew 20:34 -- as He healed two blind men --"So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him."
There are other scriptures in the gospels, but perhaps this is enough of a sampling for us to gain some insight into the compassion of our Lord and Savior. He had compassion on the multitudes when they were lost and scattered and had no direction in their lives. He had compassion on the sick. He had compassion for the hungry. He had compassion for the multitudes as a whole; but His compassion was also very personal as we see when He healed the two blind men. Yes, if we want to be like our Lord - we have to learn to be compassionate. We have to learn to care about the needs of others.
There is a popular saying -"People will not care how much you know until they know how much you care." OK well how familiar does that sound? Look at Jude 22 again, "And of some have compassion, making a difference." These two statements have much the same meaning. If we don't have compassion (let someone know how much we care) - then we might not have an opportunity to make a difference in their lives (we won't get a chance to show how much we know) we won't get a chance to teach them the gospel if they don't understand what a loving and compassionate people we are. I can't be grumpy with the waitress who served me lunch and then go knock on her door that night to ask if she wants to study the Bible with me. I don't think I would be able to make much much difference in her life, do you? She would probably slam the door in my face. We really do have to be very careful in our treatment of people ALL the time, no matter where we are or what we are doing.
Being compassionate is not always easy. Sometimes people are just really difficult to deal with. But Jesus loved us all. And He died for that hard to get along with person, just like He died for you and me. I will admit that has been a struggle for me at times. I mean to think that Jesus sacrificed His life for someone who might have caused me so much pain that I don't want to forgive and forget -- well that's tough! But you know what? He did just exactly that. And if we would like to think that God and Jesus could never forgive that person -- then please stop and look at a few of the people he did forgive. Let's see there was David who committed adultery and murder; then there was Rahab and Ruth who were both women from pagan cultures, but learned to accept God as the one and only true and living God.
There are other examples of Christ's compassion and forgiveness. What about Peter who denied his Lord three times? What about all the other disciples (except John) who fled from the trial and crucifixion of our Lord? And what about Paul who persecuted and murdered Christians before he was converted to Christ? If Jesus died for the likes of these folks -- then Yes! He died for that person you are having so much trouble with. I know sometimes forgiveness is a process -- and sometimes that takes time --but to have compassion like Christ did, we must also learn to forgive.
Consider Ephesians 4:32 -"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." And I Peter 3:8-9 - "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 contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing."
Do you want to make a difference in someone's life? Do you want to have an opportunity to lead them to Christ your Savior? Then have compassion on them. Love them - help them if they need it. Then perhaps you will have the opportunity to teach the gospel or encourage someone to come back to the Lord. Being compassionate and tenderhearted and forgiving are commandments. But just like all of God's commandments - they come with a promise --"that ye should inherit a blessing." And God always keeps His promises.
Christ above all things,
Robin
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