| Jesus said to them “I have compassion on the multitude because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.” – Mark 8:2 |
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| The COMPASSIONATE CHRIST When considering how one might describe Jesus Christ the word COMPASSIONATE has to be one of the words used. Nine different times the gospels tell us He had COMPASSION. He would SEE the people, yes, SEE a PERSON, HEAR A PLEA for HELP and He would FEEL the pain and the various NEEDS that they had. Moved with COMPASSION, He would TAKE ACTION to relieve the pain or provide for the need. Here in Mark 8:2, He has seen the multitude and discerned what they are missing. Knowing they are hungry and not having any way to relieve their hunger, He, moved with COMPASSION, is going to work to relieve the distress Following the example of Jesus, we are to be compassionate. I Peter 3:8 says, “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;” What does “having compassion for one another” look like to you? Putting the Christ-like character of compassion into actions means: 1. We SEE a person, not just people. To SEE a person, not just people, one needs to WALK SLOWLY THROUGH THE CROWD. Jesus saw a crippled man in John 5. In the midst of people, He saw a person. 2. We HEAR the person as they speak. One of the duties, if you will, of love, of compassion is to LISTEN. A leper will ask Jesus for healing. Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” (Mark 1.41) Two blind men cried out to Jesus for healing. Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him. (Matthew 20:34) 3. We FEEL the PAIN. As Jesus sees and hears what is happening with people it says in Matthew 14:14 that when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude, and He was moved with compassion for them and healed their sick. 4. We ACT to ALLEVIATE for compassion is far more than knowing the condition of a person and/or feeling sorry about the condition. Compassion goes to WORK to alleviate to the best of one’s ability the pain and to provide relief for that which is missing. A tremendous guide for being compassionate toward people is to visualize three words written across their chest. The three words are HANDLE WITH CARE! Our verse to DATE the Word on August 2 (8/2) is Mark 8:2. It says, “Jesus said to them “I have compassion on the multitude because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.” Let us be like the COMPASSIONATE CHRIST!! Continue Strong with a compassionate heart for others, And remember to DATE The Word |