WHERE IS YOUR COMPASSION?

BY PASTOR T. O. BANSO

More than ever before, human society is becoming increasingly competitive and life is becoming excessively a survival of the fittest. Men and women are losing their compassion; more people are becoming more self-centred or selfish, and insensitive to others. It is unfortunate that even children of God are losing their compassion contrary to the Word of God.

The Holman Bible Dictionary defines compassion thus: “To feel passion with someone, to enter sympathetically into their sorrow and pain.” Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary defines compassion as “A suffering with another; painful sympathy; a sensation of sorrow excited by the distress or misfortunes of another; pity; commiseration.” Similarly, the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines compassion as “a strong feeling of sympathy for people or animals who are suffering and a desire to help them.”

Generally, compassion refers to pity, sympathy, mercy, and help rendered to people who are in need. Compassion is part of the character or attributes of God. Psalm 86:15 says, “But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth” (NKJV). If you are a child of God you should be compassionate to people.

Psalm 111:4b also speaks of the compassion of God thus: “The LORD is gracious and full of compassion” (NKJV). Psalm 145:8 also points out the compassion of God thus, “The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy” (NKJV). As I have already said, mercy is one of the synonyms of compassion, and God is a God of mercy; He is a merciful God. The Bible says, “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not” (Lamentation 3:22 NKJV).

The compassionate God expects His children to be compassionate. The God of compassion expects Christians to be more compassionate than non-believers. “You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate” (Luke 6:36 NLT). That is not the reality today. Where is your compassion? We, as Christians, read the Word of God and quote the Word of God, but where is our compassion? We even preach the Word of God and go on evangelism, but where is our compassion? It is unfortunate that there are many Christians, and even preachers today, who lack compassion – the type of compassion that Jesus showed and demands from His followers today.

Jesus’ show of compassion

Jesus did His ministry with compassion. Many times, we read that Jesus, moved with compassion, healed one person or the other. Compassion is the key that unlocks miracles. The LORD cannot use us to minister to people we don’t have compassion for. Compassion will move you to intercede for somebody; compassion will move you to take care of his needs. Jesus was moved with compassion and we ought to be like Him, too. “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36 NKJV).

Do you have such a feeling for people when you see them in a similar condition? Do you feel bothered enough to want to help them? “And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick” (Matthew 14:14 NKJV). Mark 6:34 says, “And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things” (NKJV).

The Greek word used each time the Bible talks about Jesus being moved with compassion is splangchnizomai. It means, “to be moved as to one’s bowels, to be moved with compassion, have compassion.” We find the use of this word, for example in Luke 10:33; 15:20; Matthew 9:36; 14:14, 15:32; 20:34 among others. There are also other Hebrew and Greek words that mean compassion and similar words.

What is your motivating force in ministry? Is it ego, pride, popularity, or money? What is driving the good deeds you are doing? Is it compassion or desire for fame? “Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed” (Mark 1:41-42 NKJV). Jesus was moved with compassion.

Jesus healed the two blind men in Jericho, who were shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” out of his compassion for them. He touched their eyes and they could see instantly! (Matthew 20:29-33).

The widow of Nain was also a beneficiary of the compassion of Jesus; Jesus didn’t raise her only son back to life because he wanted to be popular. He was moved by compassion. “Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’ So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother” (Luke 7:11-15 NKJV). The Bible says Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him (Acts 10:38). He did so out of compassion.

The Samaritan’s show of compassion

How much compassion do you have for the hurting, the injured, etc.? Jesus told a story that underscores how pastors and Christians can lack compassion. That story depicts the condition of many of us today. We have become callous and insensitive to the pain, suffering, sickness, poverty, etc. all around us. Hear what Jesus said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves? And he said, ‘He who showed mercy on him’” (Luke 10:30-37 NKJV). Did you see that?

I’ll describe the priest in the story as the pastor and the Temple assistant as the Christian or church worker. Unfortunately, they claimed to be children of God, who knew God and were very close to God, but they lacked the compassion of God. Despite the fact that they were Jews, they could not show compassion to a fellow Jewish man who was in pain after being attacked by armed robbers. What an irony! It was a despised Samaritan, who did not have the kind of religious credentials that the priest and the temple assistant prided themselves in, who showed compassion to the wounded Jewish man. That was despite the fact that the Jews and Samaritans discriminated against each other.

The disciples’ lack of compassion

The Christianity we practise should not be without compassion. We should have compassion for those who are suffering or in pain or those who need help. Compassion will make you want to provide a solution to the problem of somebody else and not just talk or gossip about it.

When Jesus left Galilee and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon, a Gentile region, a Canaanite woman came to Him begging Him to have mercy on her and heal her daughter. She was demon-possessed and severely tormented.

Jesus didn’t answer the woman, apparently because He wanted to test her faith. The woman’s response showed her faith, which Jesus described as great. He granted her request (Matthew 15:21-28). But the attitude of the disciples of Jesus to this woman before Jesus healed her daughter showed they were not compassionate. Verse 23 says, “And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she cries out after us’” (NKJV). I imagine how they felt when Jesus commended the woman’s faith and granted her request. Show compassion to others.

In Luke 9:51-56, we see two of the disciples of Jesus not showing compassion, which they should have learnt from the Master, and Jesus rebuked them. “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, ‘Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?’ But He turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.’ And they went to another village” (Luke 9:51-56 NKJV).

Can you imagine that! Pastors calling down fire to destroy those they should be working towards their salvation! Jesus scolded the saying “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of” (Luke 9:55b NKJV). This is not the only time we see the disciples of Jesus, who we can call ministers today disciples, not showing compassion, and Jesus, because of His compassion, overruled them. Look at this: “Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.’ And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them” (Mark 10:13-16 NKJV). The disciples had no compassion for even children! Do you have compassion for children or do you see them as a burden?

Gehazi’s lack of compassion

In 2 Kings 4:24-27, we see how Gehazi, another minister-in-training, lacked compassion and was also overruled by his compassionate master, who understood that the Shunammite woman was in pain and should not be pushed away as Gehazi did. “Now when she came to the man of God at the hill, she caught him by the feet, but Gehazi came near to push her away. But the man of God said, ‘Let her alone; for her soul is in deep distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me, and has not told me’” (verse 27 NKJV).

The unforgiving servant’s lack of compassion

The parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18:21-35 shows a servant, who, after enjoying the compassion of the king, who forgave him his huge debt, did not forgive a fellow servant who owed him a far lesser debt, but threw him into prison.

Hear what the king said to the unforgiving servant: “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” (verses 32-34 NKJV).

You are not to blame if people abuse your compassion. God does not overlook the compassion you show to people, and He takes note of those who abuse your compassion.

In 2 Chronicles 36:15-17, we have an example of people who abused the compassion God had for them and God dealt with that appropriately. “And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them [Judah] by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand” (NKJV).

They abused the compassion of God until there was no remedy for them; God handed them over to the Babylonians who also did not have compassion for them. They mocked God’s compassion and God rewarded them with no compassion. You cannot ridicule the compassion of God and hope to enjoy the compassion of men!

If some people abuse your compassion, don’t let that stop you from showing compassion to others. God knows how to deal with such abusers of your compassion. Don’t lose your compassion.

Whom does God want you to show compassion to? The Bible answers this question for us.

1. Show compassion to the sinners – the spiritually blind. In Mark 1:40-45, Jesus healed a man of leprosy. Leprosy is a symbol of sin and uncleanliness. “Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed” (Mark 1:40-42 NKJV).

When you see sinners in their filthiness, do you have compassion for them or condemn them? If you do the latter, then you must have forgotten you were in that state before. “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:1-7 NKJV).

In Matthew 20:30-34, Jesus responded to the cry of the two blind men in Jericho, and had mercy on them; He opened their eyes. Sinners are blind and need your compassion, not your condemnation. Preach the gospel to them with compassion; intercede for them with compassion that God will open their blind minds (2 Corinthians 4:4).

2. Show compassion to the repentant person. It is one thing to have compassion for the sinner; it is another thing to have compassion for the repentant sinner. When people repent of their sins, God expects that we have compassion for them. Such compassion makes one forgive a repentant person his sin. 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” (NKJV).

The father of the prodigal son did not hold his sin against him; rather, he welcomed him back home and threw a party for him. The man’s action is in line with the story Jesus told earlier in the same chapter. “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:4-7 NKJV).

We need to cultivate the kind of forgiving spirit God has. God’s compassion forgives the repentant sinner. He does not count his sin against him. “Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity  and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy.
He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities” (Micah 7:18-19 NKJV).

 It is in the character of God to have compassion for repentant sinners. God loves the sinner but hates their sins. He is more willing to forgive the sinner than they are willing to repent of their sins. “Thus says the LORD: ‘Against all My evil neighbors who touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit — behold, I will pluck them out of their land and pluck out the house of Judah from among them. Then it shall be, after I have plucked them out, that I will return and have compassion on them and bring them back, everyone to his heritage and everyone to his land’” (Jeremiah 12:14-15 NKJV).

God is a God of compassion, and so also should His children be. “For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies”(Lamentation 3:31-32 NKJV).

We must avoid sitting in judgment over repentant sinners. We must gently work on their restoration. “Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God drives you, and you return to the LORD your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, that the LORD your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the LORD your God has scattered you.  If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you” (Deuteronomy 30:2-4 NKJV). This should be our attitude to repentant sinners.

3. Show compassion to believers whose faith is weak. You should not ridicule these people; they need help for restoration “And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh” (Jude 22-23 NKJV).

1 Thessalonians 5:14 says we should encourage those who are timid, take tender care of those who are weak, and be patient with everyone. We are not all at the same level of faith. God wants those whose faith is strong to help those whose faith is weak. We are all members of the same body and whatever affects one part affects the others.

Apostle Paul was sensitive to the condition of the weak everywhere he went and ministered to them from their point of weakness. Paul said that to the weak, he became as weak to win the weak and he became all things to all men, that he might, by all means, save some (1 Corinthians 9:22). This should be our attitude, rather than showing off our superior knowledge or showing a complex.

Paul warned, “But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble” (1 Corinthians 8:9-13 NKJV).

4. Show compassion to the wounded or those in pain. The story of the Jewish man in Luke 10:30-37, who was attacked by armed robbers, shows us we should show compassion to those who are wounded physically, emotionally, and the likes.

In the story, the priest and the Temple assistant failed to show compassion while the Samaritan did. He gave the Jewish man first aid treatment and took him to the hospital, paying the bill despite the differences between the Samaritans and the Jews. That is what God expects His children to do.

5. Show compassion to those who are weeping and sorrowing. Luke 7:11-17 records how Jesus had compassion on the widow of Nain and brought back to life her only son being taken for burial. “Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’ So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother. Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, ‘A great prophet has risen up among us’; and, ‘God has visited His people. And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region” (NKJV). Please note that this scripture says that Jesus had compassion on her. This was what moved Him to comfort the woman, telling her not to cry and He eventually brought the son back to life.

That is exactly how God expects us to feel when people are sorrowing, whether they are Christians or not. They don’t have to be your relations or church members. You don’t have to know them before. Jesus never knew this woman from anywhere; yet, his heart was filled with compassion for her. The Bible says rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15).

6. Show compassion to the distressed or dejected. Don’t live a selfish life. In Romans 15:2, the Bible each of us should please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. In other words, we should practise pleasing fellow believer,s to build them up in he faith.

Be interested in those who are confused and helpless. The LORD can use you to deliver them from this work of Satan. Matthew 9:36-38 says, “But when He [Jesus] saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest’” (NKJV).

The condition of these people attracted Jesus’ compassion. Show compassion to those around you who are confused and helpless. Don’t ignore them. Show them the love of Christ through the practical demonstration of compassion by ministering to them. Don’t just preach the Word of God; balance it with your acts of compassion. In Acts 3, we see how God used Peter and John to help a helpless lame person out of his negative condition. Because of this, they were brought before the Sanhedrin.

See a portion of their defence before the Sanhedrin: “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well,  let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole” (Acts 4:8-10 NKJV). Did you see how Peter described the lame that was healed? He called him “a helpless man.” I believe Peter and John believed in God for his healing because of their compassion for him. Don’t forget Jesus was always moved by compassion to do the miracles He did during His earthly ministry.

7. Show compassion to those who are bound by Satan or possessed by demons. Compassion unlocks the supernatural power of God for deliverance from the power of the devil. Jesus said miraculous signs would follow those who believed (Mark 16:17). Jesus has given believers power over Satan and demons, and when we act upon this Word in faith, we shall get the result promised. The early apostles experienced this. Hear what Mark 16:20 says: “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen” (NKJV).

8. Show compassion to the sick. This includes spiritual and physical sickness. Matthew 14:14 says when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them and healed their sick.

Jesus has sent those who believe in Him to minister to the sick, and you have a part in that commission if you are born again. He said those who believed in His name would lay hands on the sick, and they would recover (Mark 16:18b). We must be moved by compassion to minister to them, pray for them, and so on. Jesus ministered to the sick out of compassion.

9. Show compassion to those without a shepherd. Those without a shepherd have no guidance; they have no one to care for them or lead them aright. They are ignorant and need teaching to straighten out things in their lives. It is not your business to criticize them or laugh at their ignorance. You are not better than they are; it is the mercy of the LORD that opened your eyes and heart to what you know. Mark 6:34 says, “And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things” (NKJV).

You need to be considerate and patient and spend time with those who are like sheep without a shepherd. Your assignment, as a Christian or minister of the gospel, includes teaching them. “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age’. Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV).

10. Show compassion to babies. Here I‘m talking about the little ones in the faith (spiritual babies) and physical babies. “And when she [Pharaoh’s daughter] opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, ‘This is one of the Hebrews’ children’” (Exodus 2:6 NKJV). 

The baby, Moses, was one of the Hebrew male children that Pharaoh wanted the Egyptian midwives to kill at birth. “And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank” (Exodus 2:1-3 NKJV).

When the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river and saw the baby in the basket among the reeds by the riverbank, she was compassionate and took possession of the baby. She spared his life. Compare this to the attitude of Herod. He was a callous king; he ordered the killing of children two years old and under. “Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men’” (Matthew 2:16 NKJV). What a wicked king!

He had no compassion for children. Unfortunately, there are still many people like Herod and Pharaoh today, including abortionists and their clients! They have no respect for the sanctity of life. It is a sin not only against the destinies of these unborn babies but also against God.

As I said previously, the disciples of Jesus, on one occasion, showed a lack of compassion for children. Compare their action to that of Jesus. Hear Matthew’s account of the incident in Mark 10:13-16. “Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.’ And He laid His hands on them and departed from there” (Matthew 19:13-15 NKJV).

I wouldn’t know why the disciples behaved like this. But consistent with His character, Jesus overruled them. This is a lesson for us all. We should have regard for children. We should have compassion for them. We should, as much as possible, involve them in what we do in the family, the church, and society.

The teaching of Jesus shows the high regard He has for children. “Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, ‘Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me’” (Mark 9:36-37 NKJV). Isaiah 49:15 speaks of the compassion of a mother on the son of her womb. We must have compassion for children and not be like the disciples of Jesus who didn’t want them to get close to Him.

Don’t see children as a burden, nuisance, or distraction. They are God’s gift and your children represent your future on the earth. Psalm 127:3 says children are a heriage from the LORD; the fruit of the womb is a reward. Don’t be like Herod who slew children or Pharaoh who ordered the Hebrew male children should be killed at birth. Don’t kill them physically, emotionally, or spiritually.

11. Show compassion to fellow believers, especially those in need. 1 Peter 3:8a says we should have compassion for each other. We should not treat each other callously. The Bible says that we should show compassion, especially to Christian brothers and sisters who are needy. “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (1 John 3:16-17 NKJV).

Conclusion: The compassion I’ve talked about in this message is not just feeling or saying sorry to somebody. It goes beyond this. It includes an urgent desire to alleviate or mitigate the suffering or pain of people or spare them. This kind of bowel of compassion moves one to do whatever is possible for one to do to assist the person needing help.

Compassion will take something from you. It may take your time, your effort, your money, etc. It may inconvenience you, but know surely that compassion is a seed and you are going to have your harvest in due season. You cannot show mercy to people and not reap mercy, too

In Exodus 33:19b, God says He will show mercy to anyone He chooses and show compassion to anyone He chooses. However, Matthew 5:7 says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (NKJV). The Old Testament records this truth also. “With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful” (2 Samuel 22:26a; Psalm 18:25a NKJV). The converse is also true. “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy” (James 2:13a NKJV).

I need to stress that as you seek to show compassion to people, you should be led by the Holy Spirit because the Bible says the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9). The Holy Spirit may not want you to get involved in some matters. For instance, some people may not be sincere.

In addition, because the human society is governed by the law, ensure that, as you show compassion to people, you don’t violate the law. Some people failed to take note of this and in the process of showing compassion to people ran into trouble. They had a good intention, but they acted contrary to the law. We must act legally as we show compassion to people. As it is often said, ignorance of the law is not an excuse. Be conscious of the law and obey it as you show compassion. As you generously sow (show) compassion, you can rest assured that an overflowing harvest of compassion is waiting for you.

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.

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
Website: www.cedarministry.org