Compassion

Compassion

I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.

“WHO DID YOU NOTICE TODAY that needed a friend?” we asked around the dinner table one evening.

My daughter quickly spoke up: “I asked someone to sit with me at lunch.”

And then my son responded, “And I played with someone new during recess.”

It seems like such a simple thing to do, but noticing others who may be left out, different than we are or in need of a friend, is the groundwork that teaches our kids compassion and care for others. It’s the small daily act of noticing others and their needs that can easily get lost in all the busy activities of the day. Developing compassion is a habit I struggle to always be mindful of myself, and find I have to be intentional to continue to do it.

But we aren’t the only ones who can easily forget. It’s a reminder we find God offering the Israelites again and again throughout Scripture. In the Old Testament, God is often found telling his people—don’t forget the poor, those who are new to your area or different in some way, those without family. And we need this reminder as much today as the Israelites did all those years ago.

This compassion for others wasn’t just something God asked the Israelites to do; it was something Jesus reminded his followers of as well, but he takes it even one step further. He tells his followers, including us, that when we do these things—care for others, show compassion and love—it’s as if we are doing them to Jesus himself. And when I think about my life and activities, I want to live in such a way that invites Jesus in—every day.

If we could see the compassion we offer as one way that we allow Jesus into our lives, we could change the world around us. It’s easy to do, really. Begin by looking around at the places you already go and the people you already see. Notice who might need some extra attention—and start there.

Lord, give us eyes to see the needs of those around us and fill our hearts with compassion to act when necessary. Amen.

-Kendra

One Good Step: Show someone compassion today either in word or deed.