Page 3 - Compassion - August 2018 - Truth & Tidings

phrase, “bowels of mercies,” is used to de- brethren” (1John 3:16, KJV). When he
scribe the compassion required of believers speaks of “laying down our lives,” it’s not
for each other (Phil 2:1). What could this the idea of a single act, like taking a bullet
mean? “Bowels” does not sound like a very for a fellow believer. Instead, try fitting the
nice word to associate with love. But the word “soul” in the verse. We ought to lay
Scripture won’t fail us. This phrase is used down our souls for the brethren. See the
to describe care that comes from the most difference? Laying down my soul, the real
inward part of a person; it is our deepest me, for someone is going to take some
sympathies coming from the deepest of our time, even if it does take my life one day.
feelings to a heart in need. Compassion is a For now, I might have to park my own con-
visceral endeavor. We should love from the venience or miss spending time with my
inside out, even to the point of looking like friends to help you. I might struggle with
the compassion we feel. Put on, or wear finding words to comfort. I might find just
your bowels of mercies, kindness, humble- listening works better than talking.
ness of mind, meekness, and longsuffering True, compassionate fellowship will
(Col 3:12). take my time and my resources and give
Truthfully, we all tend to prefer our them to others, too. You may not have
charity on a schedule, giving a few hours money, but you might have lunch. You can
early Saturday morning to feeding the make a friend something they’d never buy.
homeless, dropping our change in a box at You likely won’t cure their cancer, but a ser-
the checkout, or listening sympathetically vice station gift card for that daily chemo
to someone’s story over a muffin before trip helps. But “whoso hath this world’s
Sunday school. These are certainly good good, and seeth his brother have need, and
things, but they fall far short of Biblical shutteth up his bowels of compassion from
compassion. This may be because they are him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
mostly about us and how we feel, or it may My little children, let us not love in word,
be because they expose the limits of how neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth”
much we’re willing to suffer with others. (1John 3:17-18, KJV).
But, if you’re willing to take up the chal- Before we power up and head out to
lenge of compassion, it’s not going to be a meet the needs of our fellow Christians,
flighty endeavor, or even one that fits your let’s add one last look at the challenges of
schedule. Philippians 2. “Look not every man on his
In 1 John, God teaches us that own things, but every man also on the
Christian fellowship is firmly grounded in things of others” (Phil 2:4, KJV). This
truth and love. These two things are the seems fine when we assume that we’re look-
keys, unlocking our true, full joy in God’s ing out for others, but what about when
assembly. As he writes of the love of God, the camera focuses on us? We almost al-
John the Apostle reminds us of that truth ways push off help; our culture hates weak-
we learned, that God won’t ask us to go to ness. “No problem, I’m okay,” we say. But,
depths where He, in Jesus Christ, hasn’t that’s not what’s really going on inside.
been. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, Beloved, God has given you the best of
because He laid down His life for us: and friends in the believers. He’s led some of
we ought to lay down our lives for the them down deeper, darker paths than most

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