Thursday, November 1, 2007

We Need To Show Compassion

Psalm 86:15 "But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth."

I've been thinking on this thing of compassion. Compassion was once described by a preacher as "love in action". Webster's dictionary defines compassion as "sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it". We need to ask ourselves if we demonstrate this in our own lives. Do we demonstrate compassion with our spouse? How about with our children? How about other Christians? We definitely need to demonstrate it with sinners.

Do you think we are demonstrating compassion when we are taking a stand for something. I believe we can...and I believe we should. Have I always demonstrated compassion when I've dealt with others? To my shame no I haven't. There have been times when I was so passionate about what I was speaking about that I did not show compassion to whom I was speaking.

Let me ask you this...do we get our point of where we stand on something across better if we show compassion for what we stand for and compassion for the person we're dealing with on that issue or do we get it across better if we are rude and seemingly hateful? I think if we show compassion we will be received better. There are those who think they have to be rude and hateful with the words they choose in order to get their point across.

We need to let the love of Christ flow through us in our dealings with others. I don't care who you are or where you're from....the same Holy Spirit lives in each child of God. If we are dealing with others in the Spirit we will deal with them in love because God is love. The problem is that too many of us...yes me included at times...respond or deal with others in the flesh and pass it off as being in the Spirit when it isn't. We need to be cautious how we word things and what we say. Proverbs 15:1 "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." We can say the right things with the wrong attitude just as we can have the right attitude and say the wrong thing. We get nothing accomplished except destroying our testimony if we don't handle all things in the Spirit and with compassion.

So the next time you go to say something...although you may be right in saying it...choose your words carefully and use a Christ-like attitude. You'll be amazed at the difference in the results.

19 comments:

Katy-Anne Binstead said...

What you say is true Mrs Julie. I can't help wondering if it has anything to do with what went down yesterday. It's interesting that a person can actually have a good attitude, good motives, and not think they're being hateful, but anyone who disagrees with them think they are being judgmental and hateful just because they happen to disagree with that person. Some people are more naturally "out there" with their comments. I don't believe in sugar coating. I never have. I'll understand if you don't want to publish this comment. I definitely agree with you though! :-) I do however think different peoples interpretations of what is compassionate are different. :-)

Sis. Julie said...

katy-anne....this post was brought on by what happened yesterday and I was hoping it would be an eye-opener or a thought-provoker. We should all examine how we treat and respond to others when we deal with things that we agree or disagree with. So many times the one will see their actions and/or words are justified because they are taking a biblical stand on something...but the way things are brought across or said can in no way be according to how God would have us handle them or bring them across. He wants there to be compassion. He had compassion...even in dealing with the issues He dealt with. It is not about our interpretation of things that is important anyway...it is what God says in His Word that matters. And we need to inform others but not become defensive about it. This is a thing that MANY need to learn.

Anonymous said...

Mrs Julie Amen! I believe you are exactly right. I believe as I taught before I left that this is one of the problems with our churches. We become defensive and lash out instead of showing compassion. The Lord is teaching me this at our church with some of the issues that are different and that I am not used too, but those people are still saved and eventually I believe God will open there eyes but if I lashed out and showed now compassion I would lose them. The Bible is right, but we must learn to speak the truth in love. Would the Lord help us all to show compassion to people like Christ showed compassion to people. I believe our churches would be different.

Bro Tim

~~Deby said...

Julie,
I surely don't know WHAT went down yesterday....and that is probably a *good thing* but...
This I know I have seen more ugliness done in the name of the Lord than I had ever thought that I would see.
I think sometimes, IF I am being honest here...as KJB, Fundamentalists...it tends to happen alot too. We beat people up, we THINK in order to prove a point..yet my Bible sure does say alot controlling one's tongue...and how a fool is the one that hastily opens his mouth. We sometimes don't get the log out of our own eye, FIRST....
I appreciated this post...
I think it is a lesson..to STOP..Pray..take a breath, PRAY some more...then if the Lord allows you...speak....a soft WORD..
I will pray with your situation that GOD will still use it ALL for HIS Glory and not let the enemy even have a foothold....
love to you and yours and ALL concerned.
Deby

Sis. Julie said...

bro. tim...Amen!! You said it well!!

Sis. Julie said...

sis. deby...thank you so much for this thought. It breaks my heart to see so many that feel they are right in what they are doing...and in content of what they are standing against they are right...but if the attitude is wrong and is without compassion then it is wrong. I hope I make sense there. I have sat by and seen so many comments on my site and on others as well that just need to be handled differently. You have mentioned the key though....pray, pray, pray and let God control that wicked member in our mouths. We make a choice in everything....yield to the flesh or yield to the Spirit. When we say something that is NOT done as Christ would have it said or done then it is in the flesh.

I know that Jesus dealt with things and He was very firm in getting His thought across...but I believe He still had compassion in doing so. Don't you? We can be angry and sin not. The Bible tells us that.

May God help us to take this situation that people are involved in and learn from it and not let the enemy gain control and ultimately the victory in. I desire to be of help and encouragement to others.

I posted this post last night with the thought of the situation taking place at the present...but desire to use it to help everyone. We all can learn from the lessons that other people learn and the situations that others are dealing with. I love you and appreciate your thoughts on this post.

T said...

Julie you are so amazing! I too have seen ugliness and hate in the name of the Lord. I understand people are going to be pasionate in their beliefs but must we beat each other down to get our point across? You are such a wonderful lady Julie and so wise.

Lyndy said...

Sis Julie,
This is so true. We always need to watch how we act and respond to people...even when we are having a bad day. Those impressions me more than we could ever imagine.

Love you, Lyndy

Lula said...

Oh my...Drew preached about something so similar last night. I can't find my notes right now, but he spoke on how we needed to have charity one for another...but not just any charity, actual biblical charity. The Bible speaks of charity standing for truth as well. It was such a wonderful message. Thank you for your post!

Lula

Sis. Julie said...

sis. tiffany....you are so sweet!!

Sis. Julie said...

sis. lyndy...yes we do!! And those impressions are not soon forgotten either.

Sis. Julie said...

sis. lula...sounds like it was a needful message and one that needs to be heard by all Christians. You should consider posting your notes to that message.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful and timely post! I think it is very easy particularly in cyberland to forget compassion. Because they are words on a screen and you can't see someones tone or face you tend to take things differently to the way they were intended. It just means that you have to be more cautious of your choice of words and really think on what you say, Thumper from Bambi really had it right when he said: "If you can't say anything nice, don't say nothing at all!" I really feel that the devil uses that feeling of being offended and that is when we attack one another instead of loveing and building one another up.

Thanks again!
Blessings
Amy

Pam--in America said...

This is such a common problem among many well-meaning Christians, isn't it? Thank you for this gentle reminder. I try to be compassionate in dealing with others, but for me, this post spoke to me about my home life. Sometimes I don't use enough compassion with my own family as I should. So thank you for helping me to see that more clearly.

Sis. Julie said...

pam in jerusalem...I find myself being the same way at times. And there is no excuse for it at any time with anyone. I don't know why we tend to treat those we are closest to and love the most so unkind at times.

Mrs. Anna T said...

Julie, what an excellent point. I always try to be very careful with my posts and comments on my blog, but sometimes people are still hurt by careless words. I pray to develop more sensitivity and delicacy in the future, all without compromising strong convictions I have in many areas.

Jerry Bouey said...

Sis. Julie, an excellent devotional - one that is so needed (even by me, at times...).

One statement my preacher makes occasionally is: "Make sure you have the right position, but also the right disposition." It is not enough to have all the right doctrines and position on Biblical issues, we need to teach those truths in love - not to get a point across or win a battle of the minds.

Thanks for these much needed words of wisdom from God's Word.

Sis. Julie said...

anna s....we should never compromise our beliefs...and we do need to stand strong...but there is a right way and a wrong way of doing so.

Sis. Julie said...

bro. jerry....the words you said mean so much. Especially coming from you. I look up to you a lot and appreciate your encouraging words. The Lord sure did speak to me as I was doing this post. I appreciated Him giving it to me. I needed it...as I'm sure we all do.

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