Jesus’ Heart of Compassion.
Isn’t that where we need to land? Isn’t that what makes vibrant, relational Christianity different from mere religion?
I want to help build bridges from the past to the present and into the future, and I believe the key is none other than Jesus Himself, walking in the fullness of God’s heart of compassion.
Moved With Compassion
Mark 1:41 gives us a profound picture:
“Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”
This verse is extraordinary. Jesus did not minister out of a power gift he turned on and off. His external acts flowed from an internal witness of the heart. He allowed what he saw move him into action. It was the suffering, brokenness, pain that he witnessed not into mere analytical processing, but the love from his heart that compelled his ministry.
The Holy Spirit created a churning, a moving and what I call an eruption of compassion that produced action.
Compassion always creates a corresponding action.
He stretched out his hand. He touched the untouchable. He spoke: “I am willing, be cleansed.” Not just I am able, but I am willing. There is a profound difference.
Able is hope. Willing is faith with a manifestation.
He Sympathizes With Our Weakness
Hebrews 4:15 reminds us of the kind of High Priest we have:
“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”
The Greek word for compassion — sympathio — means to suffer with another, to be affected similarly, to have compassion upon.
That is our Jesus. He did not observe our suffering from a distance. He entered into our suffering and is with us. He is our compassionate High Priest.
Be Compassionate and Humble
In 1 Peter 3:8, we are given a beautiful exhortation:
“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.”
Some of the greatest men and women of God I have known were not the most bombastic preachers. They were meek, humble, and compassionate. They spoke in such a way that others felt completely at ease, as if, given the time, they would spend an entire day in conversation just with you. That sounds like a Jesus goal to me.
Have Compassion and Make Difference
There is one more verse I must share — hidden away in the one-chapter book of Jude. Jude 1:22:
“Have compassion, making a difference.”
This is my exhortation for this month: Have compassion.
You will make a difference.
Years ago, the late prophetic seer Bob Jones said something to me as I was leaving his home that I have never forgotten. He said, “Your next assignment is compassion.”
If you are a born-again, Spirit-filled believer, then Jesus is alive and well in you. He wants you to receive His compassion for yourself and share it with others.
We must allow the Holy Spirit to import the mercy and love of God within us, so that we have something authentic to export.
Your next assignment is compassion.
A resource I want to share with you as you explore living from a place of compassion is The Feeler: Discovering How Sensitivity Helps You Discern and Act on God’s Voice. I also just did a FREE Master Class webinar this week called, “Are you a Feeler?.” You can watch the replay here!
You can watch the full podcast video of this week’s exhortation below.
God bless you!
James W. Goll
