Heartbeatنموونە

Get out of your ‘comfort zone’!  God wants to challenge us, to grow us, to make us more like Jesus. Like the older brother in the story of the Prodigal Son we can get callous when we get comfortable. Routine and predictability can make church, the Bible, or even God himself feel boring or dull.  One of the greatest ways to combat that attitude is to put others first – to have compassion for others and their situations. 

So what is compassion exactly? Compassion is noticing somebody’s difficult situation—and then doing something about it. Everywhere Jesus went, the crowds would follow. From the very beginning, He caught people’s attention in the most unusual ways. He healed people’s diseases. He cured lifelong deformities.  He spoke with an understanding of God that stunned those listening.

Jesus didn’t perform miracles like a one-man circus act complete with a loud “TA-DA!” at the end. He didn’t take a bow, sign autographs, and ask for tips after each one.  He came to earth like them – to be with them and to know them.

The word “compassion” means "to suffer with," which is exactly what Jesus did. He didn’t just notice people’s misfortunes; he suffered with them. His goal wasn’t to simply fix their problems, but to see them as individuals to care for, not just problems to solve.

Serving begins with noticing. Noticing a need. Noticing a person ... then deciding to care about that person. Sure, we need to care about the problem, but we need to care about the person with the problem more. That’s how Jesus showed compassion.

Jesus saw more than a body needing help. He saw people sick from loneliness and heartache. He saw people broken from hurt and insecurity. He saw people ill with fear and uncertainty. He decided to care and then to do something. And we don’t have to be God’s Son to do the same.

What are some ways you can practice being compassionate today?  When people talk to you today really listen to them.  When someone says they need something, act quickly to help them. Show the compassion of Jesus to as many people as you can today!