The Need for Compassion : Baptist Bible Hour

The Need for Compassion

Posted by: Lasserre on September 1, 2011

When Jesus saw the multitudes, “he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36-38). To have compassion is to have pity, to suffer with and to show kindness. It is easy when we see someone who is in need or going down the wrong path to become so critical that we have no compassion.

We need to follow the example of Jesus and have compassion for the multitudes today who are confused, deceived, wandering aimlessly in darkness.

The Old Testament frequently refers to God as being compassionate. “But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth” (Psalm 86:15). And, “He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19).

Jesus spoke of having compassion on the multitudes that came to hear him speak and had nothing to eat. He had compassion on the widow whose son had died. And we read of the deep emotion he felt because of the desolate spiritual state of Jerusalem: “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes” (Luke 19:41-41).

To show compassion obviously does not mean to ignore or defend sinful behavior. In fact it is a display of compassion to go to one who is overtaken in a fault and humbly seek to restore them. And Paul reminds us that as we go to minister to one in need, we should consider ourselves lest we also be tempted.

As Jesus is moved with compassion because of the multitudes that were scattered, the admonition he gives is interesting. He says to pray that the Lord of the harvest will send more laborers. His word seems to imply that those to whom he is speaking are already laboring and he, of course, is not suggesting that they should slow down. But he does hold out hope for a harvest and indicates more laborers are needed and that they should pray the Lord would send them.

In this day when many are enamored with the things of the world, or wandering because they a blinded by humanistic thinking, we can begin to feel that the possibility of a harvest is rather bleak. But Jesus says the harvest is abundant.

Let us then be encouraged both to labor and to pray for more laborers.

May our hearts be filled with compassion for the multitudes around us and faithfully proclaim the gospel of Christ, which is the only message that can bring hope.

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