Called to Compassion

Compassion. The American Heritage College Dictionary defines the word as, “Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it” (4^th ed., 292). It’s a quality often associated with Jesus, and rightly so. James 5:11 and Matthew 9:36 are just a couple of verses which speak to the compassion of Christ.

As followers of Jesus, it is understood that we are also to show compassion to others as He did. But do we really understand all of what that entails? It may be easy to show compassion when everything in our life is going well, when we don’t have burdens of our own, but is that the only time we are to show compassion?

An example from Jesus’s life strongly suggests the answer is ‘no’: 

“Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick” (Matthew 14:13-14, ESV).

This account is not very striking until we understand the context. What is the “this” that Jesus has just heard? We find the answer in verses 10-12:

“He [Herod] sent and had John beheaded in the prison, and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl [Herodias’s daughter], and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.”

So Jesus has just heard that John the Baptist has been beheaded. Not only was John his cousin and friend, but he was also the one who prepared the way for Jesus and announced the beginning of His ministry. And now he is dead, not from natural causes but at the hand of a wicked ruler who entrapped himself with a foolish promise (see vv. 6-9). On top of that, John’s death wasn’t just prompted by revenge (see Mark 6:19, 24), but his head was paraded around as a trophy at a party.

With this backstory in view, we now have a fuller picture of Jesus’ mindset leading into verses 13-14. He is grieving, and He wants to be alone. As is often the way with crowds, however, they have little to no consideration for the emotional state of the one they seek. In fact, they are so determined to be near him, that they follow him all the way on foot.

And it is here, having His sorrowful solitude interrupted by throngs of people all wanting something from Him, that He shows compassion. He does not avoid the people or tell them to go away. He does not explain that He’s really not feeling up to being around people right now and just needs some “alone time.” He shows compassion. And he doesn’t just show it; He has it. He genuinely feels their suffering even in the midst of his own sorrow and takes action to relieve their pain.

This is the One we follow. This is the example we are to imitate. When we are consumed with our own sorrows, we are to break through the fog and see those hurting around us. When we are distracted by our own struggles, we are to turn our attention to those needing encouragement.

This is by no means an easy task. In actuality, it’s nigh impossible to do on our own. Left to our own designs, we will nurse our own wounds and persist in focusing on our own burdens without giving a thought to those who cross our path. We need Someone to help us, and that Someone is the Holy Spirit.

He can fill us with His compassion for others, so that it is not our own faltering love but His unwavering love that shines through. After all, love is part of the fruit that He gives us when we walk in Him. Let us pray, therefore, and ask Him to fill us to overflowing so that through us others may see and experience the compassion of Christ.

Photo Credit: Paulakay Hall