WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
JUNE 16, 2022 Â
TOPIC: SHOW COMPASSION
BY T. O. BANSO
“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous” (1 Peter 3:8 New King James Version).
One of the attributes of God is compassion. God is compassionate. The Bible says He is full of compassion (Psalms 78:38; 86:15; 111:4; 112:4; 145:8). Compassion is “to feel passion with someone, to enter sympathetically into their sorrow and pain” (Holman Bible Dictionary). It is “a strong feeling of sympathy for people or animals who are suffering and a desire to help them” (Oxford Learner’s Dictionary).
Many times in the Bible, we read about the compassion of God. And like His Father, Jesus, the Son of God, also showed compassion during His earthly ministry. His miracles were motivated by compassion. The Bible specifically states this in some instances. In Matthew 9:36, we can see how Jesus saw the multitudes and was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Also, in Matthew 14:14, the Bible says that when Jesus saw a great multitude, He was moved with compassion for them and healed their sick.
Similarly, Mark 6:34 says when Jesus saw a great multitude who came to Him, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. He began to teach them many things and, after this, fed 5,000 men miraculously.
Furthermore, the Bible records in Matthew 15:32-38 how Jesus also miraculously fed 4,000 men, besides women and children. This followed His compassion on the multitude because they had continued with Him for three days and had nothing to eat. He didn’t want to send them away hungry, lest they should faint on the way (verse 32). Some leaders today wouldn’t have bothered about whatever happened to the people on their way home. Mark 8:1-10 also records the story.
While Jesus was going out of Jericho, He opened the eyes of two blind men who had cried to Him for mercy. Matthew 20:34 says Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes; immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him. Compassion!
In Mark 1, Jesus was moved with compassion, stretched out His hand, and touched a leper who had knelt before Him saying if He was willing, He could make Him clean. Leprosy left him immediately and he was cleansed (verses 40-42).
The Bible also records that Jesus told the demon-possessed man He had healed in the country of the Gadarenes, “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” (Mark 5:19 New King James Version).
The widow of Nain was another beneficiary of the compassion of Jesus. Her only son was being carried in a funeral procession for burial. Jesus met the procession near the gate of the city. When Jesus saw this widow, He had compassion on her and told her not to weep (Luke 7:13). He restored the son back to life.
 As children of God, we should emulate Him and show compassion to others. We have enjoyed His compassion; we should also show the same to others. We should learn from the story of the servant in the Bible who owed his master much money and he was forgiven his debt after he had begged him for patience. But he refused to show the same compassion to a fellow servant who owed him a small amount and begged for patience to pay his debt. He threw him into prison till he would pay all (Matthew 18:23-30).
Verses 31-34 say, “So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him” (New King James Version).
Show compassion to others. 1 Peter 3:8 says, “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous” (New King James Version). Take note of the phrase “having compassion for one another.”
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan, unlike the priest and the Levite, had compassion for the man who had been attacked by the thieves, stripped naked, wounded, and left half dead (Luke 10:30-37). Compassion!
The father of the prodigal son had compassion for him when he repented and returned home. Luke 15:20 says, “And he 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” (New King James Version).
As Christians, we should be compassionate, not callous. We shouldn’t be like the disciples of Jesus who urged Jesus to send away the Canaanite woman who had come to Him, begging Him to have mercy on her and heal her daughter (Matthew 15:21-28). Eventually, Jesus commended the woman’s faith and granted her request. His disciples might have felt ashamed!
In Luke 9:51-56, we see two of the disciples of Jesus, James and John, not showing compassion to the Samaritans who would not receive Jesus because He was travelling to Jerusalem. Jesus rebuked these disciples for asking for permission to call down fire to destroy those they should be working towards their salvation. He told them they didn’t know what manner of spirit they were of. Jesus said He did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.
In Mark 10:13-16, the disciples didn’t show compassion for little children brought to Jesus to touch them. Jesus was greatly displeased that they rebuked those who brought them. He told His disciples to allow the little children to come to Him and not forbid them, for of such was the kingdom of God. He said whoever did not receive the kingdom of God as a little child would not enter it. He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.
In 2 Kings 4:27, Gehazi pushed away from Elisha the Shunammite woman, their benefactor, who was in pain over the loss of her only child and had caught Elisha by the feet. Elisha told him to leave the woman alone, for her soul was in deep distress, and the LORD had hidden it from him, and not told him. Elisha went with the woman home and brought her son back to life.
Show compassion to others but be led by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit may not want you to get involved in some matters. Some people may not be sincere and could put you in trouble. Also, ensure that you are law-abiding as you show compassion to others. Show compassion.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Holy Spirit, help me to emulate the compassion of Jesus Christ and through me, let others receive their miracles. Guide me as I show compassion to others. Holy Spirit, protect the children of God from falling into the trap of the enemy as we show compassion to others.
(For over 800 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
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