Compassion

 

It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23 KJV)

And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. (Exodus 2:6 KJV)

Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. (Matthew 15:32 KJV)

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, (Luke 10:33 KJV)

The King James Version has "compassion" in verses 41 times. Seems as though that speaks to the importance of the word and it's application to people in our lives.

Strong's gives the Hebrew word as: חָמַל châmal (khaw-mal') A primitive root; to commiserate; by implication to spare: - have compassion, (have) pity, spare. The Greek in Matthew is: σπλαγχνίζομαι

splagchnizomai (splangkh-nid'-zom-ahee) - Middle voice from G4698; to have the bowels yearn, that is, (figuratively) feel sympathy, to pity: - have (be moved with) compassion. Another Greek word used in the New Testament is: ἐλεέω eleeō (el-eh-eh'-o) From G1656; to compassionate (by word or deed, specifically by divine grace): - have compassion (pity on), have (obtain, receive, shew) mercy (on).

Oxford Dictionary defines the English: el·ee·mos·y·nar·y (eləˈmäsnərē) Adjective relalting to or dependent on charity; charitable.

Why look at the source words? It makes a difference when working with translations. At my home church so many decades ago, a teen friend took an interest in words and became a Bible translator. I remember his mentioning a language that had no single word for the emotion "fear not.' The closest they could come was the phrase "do not shiver in your livers." Think how many times we read the phrase, the concept, that we are not to fear in our Bibles. We do need to know what words mean and how they are applied.

We are told God has compassion. We are told Jesus has compassion. We are told to study in order to be like Jesus, to do as He did - therefore we much have compassion - and we must understand how it is applies. We are to feel sympathy, pity, our emotions are to be moved by it, we are to show both mercy and grace, to spare people from harm, and to help them when they are harmed.

Jesus feed thousands. Can we provide funds or time to feed those who are hungry? The Samaritan paid both for a room and medical care. Can we provide funds or time to do the same? God not only forgives us, He gives us eternity, for by grace are we saved through faith in His ability to do so. Can we forgive?

It's not as easy as it sounds. If you are like me, there was one name that leaped to mind as being unforgivable. Maybe they didn't hurt us, but one of our loved ones. Yet - we are to have compassion on the unlovable. What is it worth to you to be more like Christ? Oh, yes - and I like John's inspired wording:

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (1 John 2:1-6 KJV)