JESUS SPEAKING
And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.” Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the Spirit and was troubled. And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” (John 11: 28-37)
INSPIRED THOUGHTS
Upon arriving, Jesus observed Mary and Martha weeping over the loss of their brother. He was immediately filled with compassion and empathy; His heart was so grieved that He began weeping with them. And yet not one of Christ’s tears was shed for Lazarus (whom He would soon raise from the dead.) Instead, Jesus cried because He empathized with those who were mourning. Concerning empathy and compassion, God has no equal; He’s filled with it. Compassion is defined as “a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another person who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate their suffering.”
One day, many years ago, I happened by a man named Eric. He was seated outside of a coffee shop, slouching down in a chair; he looked more dead than alive. His skin was pale and clammy and he was sweating profusely. His clothes were also old and tattered. Upon witnessing his pain, my heart was moved with compassion. I promptly sat down and began speaking with him. He informed me that he was withdrawing from heroine and was very sick. I took him out to eat and provided him with some clean clothes; I ministered to him as best I could. As his condition worsened, I drove him to the hospital and sat with him in the emergency room for hours; I even accompanied him in to see the doctor. After being treated he was released. Before dropping Eric off, I paid for his prescription and made sure he had enough food for the evening. Nearly a year later, Eric showed up at the coffee shop to say hello. He told me that after our interaction, he had nearly died of a heart infection and was hospitalized for an extended period of time. He thanked me for my efforts, and said that without my assistance, he might not be alive. He was grateful that (‘even when his friends had abandoned him’) someone had cared enough to help. Despite his personal gratitude, I reminded Eric that it was God who deserved the credit; for it was God who had filled my heart with compassion; and in turn, it was the Lord who had moved me to act.
Because Jesus Christ is filled with compassion, His followers are as well. In turn, He moves human beings to accomplish great feats of kindness and mercy. The closer we are to God, the more compassion we will feel for those who are hurting. When someone is struggling, God feels their pain and inspires others to comfort them. Wherever mercy and love abound, the Spirit of God is at work. However, where there is indifference and a lack of compassion, there is an absence of Godliness. There are so many broken people in this world who need to be loved. May God’s compassion lead us to act; may we feel what God feels; may we see with His eyes; may we be filled with the mercy required to relieve the suffering of others.
“Lord Heavenly Father, we desire to know You and to be filled with Your compassionate Spirit. Inspire us, that our hearts may be sensitive to those who are hurting. Give us the strength to be kind when others are in need. May we love our families, our friends, and even those who are complete strangers. Use us to express Your merciful benevolence. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name we pray. Amen.” God bless all of you!
Jesus Speaks 