Compassion. (according to Merriam-Webster)
:a sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it.
A lawyer once asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus answered with the great commandment. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." (Luke 10:27)
The man then asked "Who is my neighbor?"
Jesus answered, as the teacher was prone to do, with a parable. In this parable a man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when robbers attacked him, beat him, and left him for dead. Several came and passed by him. Some the lawyer and others listening would have assumed would stop and help the man. However it was a Samaritan, one who was hated by those in the audience, who stopped. Jesus said, "But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion."(Luke 10:33)
How often do I feel compassion for people I see in need? A sad friend who needs a listening ear? A homeless person who needs something to eat? A child who needs a hug? My heart and eyes are open but I am distracted by other things: I am too busy with other important things to stop. This lesson is not going to study or teach itself. What will other people think? This is not on my to-do list.
I see the need and I may even have the desire to meet the need but what about the next step? I am sorry to say that oftentimes I allow my busyness to interfere with showing love to those around me. I am not loving my neighbor as myself.
In the parable the Samaritan didn't just feel the compassion, he acted on it. "He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him." (Luke 10:34) He went the extra mile for this stranger. He gave of his time and resources to help this man. I love the way the text emphasizes that he used his own animal. Nothing obligated him to act this way. The likelihood of this man repaying him in any way was slim, especially since they were considered enemies. This, however, didn't seem to matter to the Samaritan. He was simply acting on his compassion and being a neighbor.
Jesus ended his parable with a question, another thing he was known for. "Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" When the lawyer replied that is was the one who showed mercy, Jesus said, "Go and do the same."
Not only is it a good idea to act on our compassion but it is a command of Jesus. He has called us to love our neighbor as ourselves and to have compassion on those around us.
May we act on our compassionate feelings today. You never know who might need your help today.
