“We
know that compassion means taking pity on the condition of others. To
be compassionate is to be merciful, to be filled with sympathy and
mercy. Compassion cares. In fact, it cares deeply. And it prays,
thinks, searches, and seeks to help those in need with what they
need. And it does the work required to give the care, even when
tired, even late into the night, even all night. It stems from
genuine concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.”
As
I thought about compassion I realized it was easier for me to feel
compassion toward people I didn't know, or didn't know well, rather
than toward my own family. I can feel compassion toward a family that
I knew over 10 years ago that is going through a trying time right
now after their son was involved in an accident. I can feel
compassion toward a family I've never met that is adopting special
needs kids. I can feel compassion toward the mom I see in the library
struggling with her little kids. But, do I feel compassion for my own
family when they are hurt, sick, or just having a bad day? Why does
it seem harder to show compassion toward those we are around every
day?
It
is said many times in Scripture that Jesus was “moved with
compassion”. It is usually used toward someone that is sick or
needs to be healed in some way. In Mark 6:30-3, Jesus showed
compassion toward his apostles, the ones that were with him,
ministering with him, every day. It doesn't use this phrase, but as
the apostles are gathering together and telling Jesus all that they
have been doing (they have been busy) and all they had taught, Jesus
comes along side them and says “Come aside by yourselves to a
deserted place and rest a while.” It goes on to say that the
apostles had been so busy with so many people that they hadn't even
eaten. Here the apostles had been showing compassion for so many
people that they weren't thinking about themselves at all. Jesus
showed compassion and offered them to rest. He told them to get in a
boat and go to a deserted place. This was a great plan, but if you
read on in the story you'll see that the multitude of people saw that
they were leaving and they ran to the cities and beat the apostles
and Jesus there. But, read on to verse 34 and it 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.” (emphasis added) I read this and my selfish, fleshly
mind says “well He didn't really have compassion for them. Here He
told them to get away so they could rest, but as soon as someone was
there needing help He put them to work”. But, as I read this more,
I don't see anywhere that it says the apostles complained or whined
about helping these people. I know later in the chapter when they
suggest that Jesus send the people away that some people look at that
as they are tired of them and want them to go. As Elizabeth George
points out in her book, the
disciples weren't trying to push the people away. They realized this
was a deserted place and there was no food there. The disciples were
tired and hungry themselves, but they were showing compassion toward
the other people. They knew these people needed to go home so they
could eat.
If you go on in the passage you see in
verse 45 you see that Jesus did send the disciples away in a boat
again. He sent them on ahead so He could send the multitude away.
Then He took the time alone to pray. He then saw that the boat was
struggling against the wind. He could have just calmed the wind from
the shore, but He walked out onto the water to the boat so that His
disciples could understand His deity. He had compassion toward his
disciples enough that He not only took care of them, but He wanted
them to know who He really was.
If I follow Jesus as my example, then even
when I'm tired, hungry and just feel like I'm at the end of my rope,
I can still show compassion to those around me. I need to also
remember that my strength comes from the Lord!
