Will You Cry With Others?

When my granddaughter Mikaela was 4 1/2, she had gotten in trouble for something and my daughter Megan had her sit in her little chair in time-out. She said that Eli (who was 2 at the time) went and got his little chair and pulled it up beside Mikaela and didn't say a word. He just quietly sat there by her, enduring time-out with his sister. When time-out was over, Mikaela looked at Megan and said, "Next time Eli gets in trouble, I will cry with him.."

Do we have compassion for others? Real, heartfelt, heart changing compassion? Do we even know what compassion really is?

Compassion - (def.) Sympathy for the suffering of others often including a desire to help

To me, it's just not enough to have sympathy for others. We need to have that longing and desire to do something for
them.

*If we have compassion for the sick - we need to be willing to visit them in the hospital and pray for them.

*If we have compassion for the elderly - we need to visit them in their home or nursing home.

*If we have compassion for young mothers and little babies - we need to be willing to work in the church nursery.

*If we have compassion for our youth - we need to spend time talking with them and encouraging them instead of being critical.

*If we have compassion for people - we need to be willing to minister to them.

Whether our compassion is for the lonely, the poor, the rich, the elderly or the hurting, we have to be willing to act on that emotion of sympathy and actually try and eleviate some of their suffering. Otherwise, all we have done is feel sorry for them.

Now I know that we can't personally minister to every person that is in need. But we can pick one area of ministry and dedicate ourselves to it. We have to start somewhere.

I am ashamed to say there have been times that I have encountered people in need and I have found myself thinking "Oh, bless their hearts". And then I just go on with my life and don't give them a second thought. How uncaring of me! How selfish of me! How umcompassionate of me!

That is one of the reasons I think that God put the prayer page on my heart. He gave me such a desire to lift those needs and burdens up to the Throne of Grace and be in fervent prayer for others. I have a true compassion for other people and through this, I am held accountable and have dedicated myself to it.

"Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous" (1 Peter 3:8)

Lord, give us a compassion for others like Jesus had. Help us to learn to reach out to those in need. Let us not grow weary in our well doing, but to do it as unto you, Lord. Thank you for the compassion you have for us.