LIVING WITH COMPASSION (Part 2)
Romans 12. Verse 15 reads:
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Yesterday, we understood that God is the source of all compassion. He is also an inexhaustible store of compassion, from which men receive unfailing mercies. Beyond benefiting from his compassion, it is God’s expectation that all men will be channels or avenues of extension of his compassion to others. Thus, recipients of compassion must be givers of compassion. There are two broad areas of expression of compassion that we want to consider.
- The ability to see from God’s perspective. The human perspective of issues is limited to the physical or tangible world, which can be very deceptive because it misses the real details. Quite often, behind the very good external appearances, there could be unseen unrests and uncertainties in the intangible and invisible realm of the soul and spirit of man. From God’s viewpoint, one is able to see into the core of men and can tell their true state. Those who share this perspective become carriers of the spirit of compassion.
- The ability to identify with fellowmen. The principle of identification involves the ability to empathize with what another is going through and assist in getting him out of the unfavourable position. Identification is one of the means of expressing compassion. In identification, we are genuinely able to mourn with those who are mourning and rejoice with those who are rejoicing.
The incarnate Christ was a perfect model of compassion in expression in a man. He sought God’s perspective in all things and replicated the same on earth. Secondly, he identified perfectly with the predicaments of men. Hebrews 4 verse 15 says this about Jesus:
For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus’ depth of compassion contributed immensely to the unparalleled success of his ministry and his impact on humanity, which continues unabated from generation to generation. Beloved, if we can also positively impact our world, we need to operate by the spirit of compassion as we combine the ability to see from God’s perspective and the ability to identify with fellowmen. Lord, may our lives be patterned after Christ’s standard of compassion.
SHALOM 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏