The Necessity of Compassion
As Luke considers Jesus’ ministry in this world, he made sure to depict the Son of Man as one who was moved through emotion. While taking on flesh and maintaining fullness of deity, Jesus also had a vision for the outcasts of this life; the poor, the hungry, the mournful, and the hated (6:20-22). The Lord not only demonstrated compassion toward humanity but He encouraged it in His lessons. Notice some of the different actions of compassion according to Luke’s gospel.
Compassion is Present in Grief (Luke 7:13) — As Jesus was coming into a town, He saw a dead man being carried out. Behind the coffin was the mother, a widow who was grieving the loss of her only son. Jesus was moved by compassion and proceeded to engage Himself in the scene rather than walking by. The Lord encouraged the mother to cry no more and as He touched the coffin the dead man rose up. Rather than continuing along His journey, He took an opportunity to be present with the grieving.
Compassion is Proactive in Generosity (Luke 10:33) — As the Lord made His way to Jerusalem, He told a number of parables to those who would listen. It is here that we have the infamous story of the good samaritan. Consider the one trait described that remained exclusive to the Samaritan and absent in everyone else who passed by; compassion. This compassion allowed the Samaritan to abound in generosity by mending the man’s wounds, transporting him to an inn, and giving the inn-keeper two days worth of money to watch after him. The Samaritan then followed all of that by stating, “take care of him, and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you” (10:35).
Compassion is Powerful in Grace (15:20) — The story of the prodigal son is one that is loved by so many, and rightfully so. The son demanded his inheritance from his father, wasted it on reckless living and prostitutes, and found himself in dire straits. After coming to grips with his hopeless situation he returned home with low expectations. The father, rather than being filled with rage or regret, saw his son and felt compassion. The father extended grace and joy on behalf of the compassion he experienced.
Jesus exemplified compassion in its greatest essence. He also instructed His followers to do the same thing. When we discover the avenue of compassion we find ourselves being present with the hurting, proactive in aiding, and displaying power in forgiving.