Compassion

Relationships seem to be the sustaining factor of any growing church. When people who are like-minded are comfortable doing life together, a secure connection is made. Friends start to feel like family as you spend more time together. I was a part of a flourishing church in my formative years. When I reflect on the reasoning behind our growth, I find the relationships I had with students my age who's parents were the same age as my parents made us spend time together. Our parents were in the same Sunday School class; we attended youth group, our parents were in the choir, we went out to eat together and spent time in each other's homes. These relationships were easy because we did not have to work so hard to find things in common.

Brian Houston of Hillsong Church said:

Often it is the people who are harder to love that need it the most. As Christians, we have to “love with an open heart and without conditions.” I struggle to have compassion for those I do not have many things in common. I see people in worse situations than me and think, “well, what did they do to get themselves there? They had every opportunity that I had…..” When in reality, I don't know their circumstance, how hard life has been on them, nor should my judgment reflect the way I treat them.

1 Peter 4:9-11

“Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Every interaction we have should reflect the compassion of Christ. What we say and how we serve should bring glory to the God we claim as ruler of our lives. We do this so when we encounter others who's company is a little less than desirable, we counter their negativity with love and compassion showing Christ’s love through us and giving Him glory.

The Bible says we are to bear one another’s burdens. Many times we work with people or have to interact with people we don't care for. We have to learn that tolerating someone in kindness, although often difficult, gives Christ more glory. John Ortberg stated, “We have to recognize that everyone is on a journey with God and the gap between the least and most experienced is infinitely smaller than the distance between the most experienced and God.” There is so much perspective in that quote. We are all sinners in need of a savior and are all the same in light of the cross.

John 13: 34-35

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this, all men will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another.”

Show compassion to those that are harder to love. Ask God for patience and wisdom to deal with those people. We are not called to be best friends with those we struggle to like, but love them as Christ loves them and wish them well on their journey with God.