Compassion

Jesus’ Compassion for Lost Souls

[204 words] Matthew describes Jesus’ compassion for lost souls: “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). Jesus saw people. He did not look past them, ignore them, or turn away from them. Jesus was cognizant of…

He Came

[435 words] It was toward the end of March in 2006. A tragedy took place in a small west Tennessee town. The news of the tragedy quickly spread through the town, across the state, and then throughout the nation. The various news networks in our nation reported the news of this unreal event near the…

Do You Really Show Compassion?

[402 words] Many times, I will hear a person say, “I really feel sorry for them” when hearing about someone else’s difficult situation. We may label such feelings as compassionate, because many dictionaries define compassion something along the line of “Sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings and misfortunes of others” (Oxford English Dictionary). But…

Do Better Than Job’s Friends

[441 words] Job had been sitting on the ground in misery. Everything had been taken from him. He showed amazing restraint after losing all his possessions. Even more incredible self-control was on display when he was told about the death of his children. Even after being afflicted with a painful illness, even after his own…

The Helpless and the Helpers

[433 words] As all of the miracles of our Lord are impressive, the one about the healed paralytic is especially impressive to me. In Mark 2:1-12 the reader is immediately taken back to a first century home located in Capernaum. It was likely just a small flat, rectangular in shape with an open courtyard in…

God Hurts When You Hurt

[221 words] One of the most striking passages in the Old Testament is Isaiah 63:7-9. “I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which He is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us—yes, the many good things He has done for the house of Israel, according…

This Man Receives Sinners

[177 words] “Now the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them'” (Lk 15:1-2). A.T. Robertson comments that there was a yawning chasm between these two groups. The Pharisees were grumbling, and…

Woman, Behold Your Son

[371 words] It was a Jewish custom for a mother to weave a tunic (long shirt) for her son before he left for adulthood. He wore this as one of five articles of clothing; shoes, head wrapping, girdle, tunic and robe. As Jesus hung on the cross, He saw the four soldiers dividing four of…

‘The Poor You Have With You Always’

[232 words] The above statement was made by Jesus in Matt. 26:11. Our government spends billions of dollars trying to help the poor of this nation. Compassion is a wonderful thing but most often their efforts fall short of success. Ever wonder why the poor are poor? Some are poor because of circumstances beyond their…

His Face Showed the Strain

Before Nehemiah traveled to Palestine to assist in rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem, he served as the “cupbearer” to the Persian king. One morning the king noticed an unusual sadness in his servants face, so he asked, “Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Nehemiah…

One at a Time

The story is told of a business man who was overworked and decided to take some time off. While vacationing on the coast, a terrible storm hit. When it died down, he decided to take a walk down the cost to see what damage had been done. As he walked along the shore, he noticed…

The Wooden Bowl

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law and four-year-old grandson. The old man’s hand trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather’s shaky  hands and failing eyesight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When…