… is a verb, not a noun. We have as our example, our model – Jesus. There are many scriptures talking about Jesus showing compassion and doing something. Compassion is an action verb, it doesn’t just commiserate! Empathy is wonderful but compassion is so much more.
Abundant Life (https://livingproof.co/what-is-biblical-compassion/#:~:text=Compassion%20in%20the%20
Bible%20can,giving%20to%20those%20in%20need.) states:
[[ “If God is compassionate, and you are made in His image, then you too are to exhibit compassion. Have you ever felt as though you were a sheep without a shepherd? God felt compassion for you (Matthew 9:36). As a result, you have likely been moved by deep compassion. Perhaps someone has wronged you. Perhaps someone who seems undeserving needs your forgiveness. Ephesians 4:32 reminds us that we must be kind to one another, forgiving each other because Christ forgave us.
The truth of God’s compassion transforms us. When we see others who are suffering, in need, and desperate to know the love of God in a practical way, let’s decide to exhibit Biblical compassion—feeling and acting in a way that displays living proof of a loving God.
(some) Bible Verses About Biblical Compassion
“But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.”—Psalm 86:15
“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”—
Lamentations 3:22-23“The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.”—
Psalm 145:8“And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…’”—Exodus 34:6-7
“Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how He loved him!’”—John 11:33-36
“And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.”—Matthew 14:14
“Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’”—Mark 1:40-41
“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”—Colossians 3:12-13
“But the Lord was gracious to them, had compassion on them, and regarded them, because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not yet destroy them or cast them from His presence.”—2 Kings 13:23″ ]]
This gives us an understanding of what compassion is – it DOES. These verses show us how we should respond, what we can do. When you look at the Colossian verses, we see how the Father responds to us by telling us what compassion looks like: mercy, kindness, forgiving. These are all attitudes and actions we do. And this should be what we seek in our times of need. ‘Oh woe’s me’ does sound good for a moment… but it does little to affect the need. If all you’re willing to do is to cry with the other person or pat them on the back or give some trite expression – save your breath.
