Words of Hope: Contemplating Compassion
Two passages of scripture have been resonating in my mind. The first is Jesus healing the widow’s only son and not only healing but raising him from the dead. Jesus does this act not as a response to a request but out of the response of compassion. He is moved with pity and acts.
I consider how often Jesus is moved to do something because He is first deeply moved by compassion.
I also hold this image as I consider the words from Romans 12, “Let the one who has the gift of compassion, give cheerfully.” Here would be a perfect conversation with Dad.
“Dad, why do you think cheerfulness is a necessary quality with compassion? Do the words, “a cheerful heart is like a medicine” speak to the healing properties of cheerfulness? Does compassion allow us to heal like Jesus? Does the opposite of compassion or pity evoke or unleash greater harm?
I can remember vividly Dad diligently parenting my character. If I was unloading the dishwasher with a sour attitude, he would ask me to stop, and we would have a talk. He would impress on me that work done in a grumbling spirit hurts LOVE itself. My work to clean up the home with a bad attitude was bringing the poison of bitterness into the home— much more toxic than an unemptied dishwasher.
Dad believed attitude was king. All his parenting efforts impressed upon me the power of attitude and especially the qualities of compassion for suffering people and cheerfulness as expressed in love for serving and honoring others.
Compassion as an attitude of the heart revealed true listening to the Holy Spirit and therefore each task is an invitation to consider Jesus at the center.
Will I enter with frustration and obligation, or will I choose to see each moment as an honor to be His hands and feet, His heart of compassion to the world?
Jesus went to a town called Nain, and His disciples and a large crowd went with Him. As He approached the town gate, a funeral procession was coming out — the only son of a widow was being carried out for burial, and many people from the town were with her.
When Jesus saw her, His heart was filled with compassion. He said to her,
“Do not weep.”
Then He went up and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. Jesus said,
“Young man, I say to you, arise!”
Immediately, the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
Luke 7:11–17
