“And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick” (Matthew 14:14, NKJV).
Our Christian Duty
Question: What is our christian duty towards others?
Colossians 3:12
12 Therefore, vas the elect of God, holy and beloved, wput on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
1 Peter 3:8-9
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be 2courteous; 9 knot returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary lblessing, knowing that you were called to this, mthat you may inherit a blessing.
1 John 3:17
17 But xwhoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
Jesus says, “But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him” (Luke 10:33, NIV). This pity or compassion drove the Samaritan traveler to act on behalf of the injured victim. The priest and the Levite likely asked themselves, “If I help this man, what will happen to me?” The Samaritan might have asked himself, “If I don’t help this man, what will happen to him?” In this story the Samaritan unselfishly takes the perspective of the victim and takes action. He risked his safety and his wealth for a stranger. In other words, sometimes being a Christian involves risks and can be, potentially, very costly.
Look at the story of the prodigal son from this perspective as well (Luke 15:20-32). What does the prodigal’s father do that makes him vulnerable to criticism and family strife? The compassionate embrace, the robe of belonging, the ring of trust, the sandals of freedom, and the call for celebration reflect the selfless joy of a father who is willing to sacrifice all for the sake of his prodigal son’s restoration. Prodigal means wasteful, reckless, extravagant, and uncontrolled. This kind of behavior certainly describes the path of the son in this story. But stop for a moment and consider that, in response to the return of the prodigal, one could justly claim that the father in this story puts all dignity aside and recklessly bestows everything he has on his disheveled son. In the eyes of the older sibling, the father is wasteful, extravagant, and uncontrolled. The father becomes prodigal at the sight of his repentant son, and his heart of compassion triggers the emptying of all resources necessary to restore him.
Our Christian Duty
Question: What is our christian duty towards others?
Colossians 3:12
12 Therefore, vas the elect of God, holy and beloved, wput on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
1 Peter 3:8-9
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be 2courteous; 9 knot returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary lblessing, knowing that you were called to this, mthat you may inherit a blessing.
1 John 3:17
17 But xwhoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
Jesus says, “But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him” (Luke 10:33, NIV). This pity or compassion drove the Samaritan traveler to act on behalf of the injured victim. The priest and the Levite likely asked themselves, “If I help this man, what will happen to me?” The Samaritan might have asked himself, “If I don’t help this man, what will happen to him?” In this story the Samaritan unselfishly takes the perspective of the victim and takes action. He risked his safety and his wealth for a stranger. In other words, sometimes being a Christian involves risks and can be, potentially, very costly.
Look at the story of the prodigal son from this perspective as well (Luke 15:20-32). What does the prodigal’s father do that makes him vulnerable to criticism and family strife? The compassionate embrace, the robe of belonging, the ring of trust, the sandals of freedom, and the call for celebration reflect the selfless joy of a father who is willing to sacrifice all for the sake of his prodigal son’s restoration. Prodigal means wasteful, reckless, extravagant, and uncontrolled. This kind of behavior certainly describes the path of the son in this story. But stop for a moment and consider that, in response to the return of the prodigal, one could justly claim that the father in this story puts all dignity aside and recklessly bestows everything he has on his disheveled son. In the eyes of the older sibling, the father is wasteful, extravagant, and uncontrolled. The father becomes prodigal at the sight of his repentant son, and his heart of compassion triggers the emptying of all resources necessary to restore him.
This level of sympathy and compassion involves setting self aside, and it can make us vulnerable to whatever comes as we suffer with someone and endeavor to move him or her toward restoration. In short, true compassion and sympathy might come with a cost.
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