“We often confuse the heart of compassion that requires a response with the feeling of sympathy that remains idle.”
A thought by Brandon Hatmaker, (2011-10-18) from his
book, Barefoot Church: Serving the Least in a Consumer Culture (p. 34). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
I was
just reading a story about Jesus over in the 20th chapter of Matthew
in the New Testament. It seems that He
and His disciples were leaving this particular town and a crowd was following
them. And a couple of blind men
disturbed the group and the crowd rebuked them and told them to be quite. But they continued yelling and Jesus finally
stopped and asked them what they wanted and they said, “We want our sight.”
Now
I’m sure these guys had been there for a long time and the sympathy of the
crowd who walked by them every day turned to annoyance and then ignoring them. But these two blind men had heard that Jesus was
going by and they shouted, “Have mercy on us” and it says that Jesus didn’t
have sympathy but He had compassion on them and touched their eyes and
immediately they received their sight and followed Him. He did something and He wants us to do
something.
I am
reading through the Gospels and it is truly changing me. I know we may not be able to do all Jesus did
but we must have the heart of compassion which leads us to do something.
Brandon
had an anonymous quote in his book that speaks to this. He says, “Sometimes I would like to ask God
why He allows poverty, suffering, and injustice when He could do something
about it. But, I’m afraid He would ask me the same question.”
I know
it is so easy to walk by those who are needy and have sympathy for them and do
nothing. But Christ calls us out and
wants to give us compassion so that He can do something through us to make a
difference. We need to not waste the divine
opportunities that He has for us to allow Him to work miracles through our
lives for people who are in need. That
is His plan and that is our purpose.
So which
is it, sympathy or compassion?
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