COMPASSION
One time, I was sitting in a van waiting for the rest of the team to return from an excursion to a village market somewhere deep in the Ukraine. As I sat there, I noticed a drunk lying at the edge of a large mud puddle. He was out cold. At first I laughed, surprised at seeing this kind of thing. As I watched him, he began to stir. Slowly, he tried to get up, but fell into the puddle. I laughed out loud. Then he began to wash himself off, in the most comical way, with the dirty water. As I watched him, it dawned on me how lost this man really was, without Christ. I stopped laughing and began to wonder what might have led up to this moment in his life. I became aware of how much the enemy of our souls must be laughing to see this man, who was created in the glory of God, just a little lower than the angels, wallowing in the mud in a drunken stupor. I began to feel compassion for him, which caused me to earnestly pray for his soul. We always have the choice of shutting compassion down or turning it loose. I also remembered that whenever Jesus felt compassion for people it resulted in a miracle. This man needed a miracle, and I had the faith to believe for it on his behalf. Perhaps I was the only person on the planet praying for him. Eternity will reveal the result of that prayer.
· I went from having my sensibilities offended,
· to scorn and laughter,
· to compassion,
· to deep intercession.
The best definition of compassion I have come across is, “Your pain, in my heart”.
COMPASSION G4697 from G4698; to have the bowels yearn, that is, (figuratively) feel sympathy, to pity:—have (be moved with) compassion.
It is not something we work up, but it is something we can shut down:
“But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his bowels of compassion from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (1 John 3:7)
Self-pity is when we have compassion on ourselves and expect others to do the same.
 |
THE COMPASSION OF JESUS
The compassion of Jesus always resulted in something miraculous happening. I wonder if we followed our compassion, if it would not do the same thing.
Matthew 9:36-38 “But when He 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.”
Matthew 14:14-21 “And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.”
But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”
He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.”
Matthew 20:34 “So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.”
Mark 1:4142, “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 5:15-20 “Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.
And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “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.” And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.”
Luke 7:11-15
“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.”
 |
THE BOWELS OF CHRIST
Paul entered into Jesus name so completely at times that he could actually feel on the inside of him what Jesus was feeling. He expressed this experience this way in a letter to one of his churches:
"For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:8)
BOWELS GK 4698 splagchnon; (the "spleen"); an intestine (plural); figuratively pity or sympathy:-- bowels, inward affection, tender mercy.
Don’t let this old English language keep you from seeing a great truth here. Paul was saying that he felt in his heart, somewhat of the heart of Jesus for the Philippians. I have had this happen. It is wonderful! It is one of the best parts of the ministry, as we minister in Jesus name, rather than our own.
Here are some other verses that contain the same expression:
"If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill my joy, that you be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind." (Philippians 2:1, 2)
"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;" (Colossians 3:12)
"But whoever has this world's good, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his bowels of compassion from him, how does the love of God dwell in him?" (1 John 3:17)
As you re-read these verses, look to see how it can be turned on or off. We can shut of compassion, or we can put them on. It is really our choice. Someone once described compassion as “Your pain, in my heart”. I like this a lot, but compassion is also feeling what Jesus would feel for people’s condition.
 |
LONGING FOR THE LOST
I had read the following verse many times without really considering what Paul was saying:
1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 "But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us."
What is truly amazing about this verse is that he affectionately longed for them, before they were saved. He felt this way before they were cleaned up. He longed for them while they were fornicators, homosexuals, and pagan idol worshippers. Who do you know that feels this way about people with these conditions? Jesus does. If we minister in His name, we will too.
