Be Compassionate

"All of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble."  -1 Peter 3:8

Female Red-bellied Woodpecker

In today's Our Daily Bread Elisa Morgan gave an example of compassion....

When asked to define his role in a community that was sometimes uncooperative with law enforcement, a sheriff didn't flash his badge or respond with the rank of his office.  Rather he offered, "We are human beings who work with human beings in crisis.

When we heard a thud on our picture window overlooking our driveway we rushed outside to see how badly the bird was injured.  She'd lost a few downy feathers from the impact, but soon regained her equilibrium and flew away.  Most of us can find compassion in our hearts for animals and people that we actually come face-to-face with, but would we have the same compassionate attitude towards criminals as the sheriff had?

Verse 2:15 in the 1 Peter passage says, "For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people."  This is the only way for people to "hear" your message of God's love.  Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.  As His followers, we are commissioned to have the same compassion for the lost.

I am grateful that someone had compassion on me and brought me to Jesus.