Compassion in Action
What comes to mind when you think of the word Compassion?
Most of us first think about how it associates with different types of feelings. Such as care, concern, or sympathy. We think about people going through difficult times, and often it makes us feel sorry for others. Many people mistake pity for the deeper action-oriented aspect of compassion.
This reminds me about a friend of mine who pastors a small church in Madrid. Her name is Emilia. Emilia is a missionary from Bulgaria, and has a very motherly presence about her. She is always smiling and full of love for those around her. Her congregation meets in a room that is no bigger than about the size of a bedroom.
When Emilia saw that there are families in her community struggling to put food on the table, she couldn’t just sit there and watch. She had to do something about it. Each month, with the help of her church and a partnering grocery store, she goes shopping. There are more than 50 families that she helps provide the essentials—meat, fresh fruits and vegetables, snacks, and milk—its enough food to last about two weeks for a typical Spanish family. Not only that, but she always makes sure there are tasty treats and boxes of sugary cereal for the kids. For Emilia, this is a labor of love. Every bag she and her church gives out is a reminder that someone cares, and that God provides.
A few weeks ago, I was visiting with Pastor Emilia at her church. My son, Sammy, was with me. Before Emilia greeted me, she ran over to Sammy, gave him the biggest hug, and handed him a snack and a juice box. She treats my boys like they are her own grandchildren. While we were visiting, I mentioned that our communities food assistance program had been cut, and how it affected a family friend. Emilia asked me, “do they have kids?” When I said yes, she immediately called over one of her church helpers and whispered something to him. As he ran off, Emilia started asking me about the kids and general information about the family. The next thing I knew, I was being handed a big heavy bag full of groceries for that family.
Friends, this is the heart of Christ in action—seeing a need, and responding with compassion to meet that need. God uses ordinary people, like Emilia, to show His extraordinary love for those in need. This is what it looks like when we allow God to work through us—as we show compassion for those around us by being his hands and feet.
Today, we are going to dive into Luke 7:11-17 and discuss how the compassion of Christ leads people to worship Him.
Luke 7:11–17 (NLT) Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her.
When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said. Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.” Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.
Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, “A mighty prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited his people today.” And the news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding countryside.
It had been a long day for Jesus and the Disciples. They were ministering in the region of Galilee, and had developed quite a large crowd that was following them. As they arrived at the town of Nain, there was a funeral procession exiting through the town gate going to the burial grounds.
This funeral was for a young man who was more than likely a teenager. He was the only son of his mother, who had been widowed. This meant that her husband had already died, and now her only son who was supposed to take care of her had died as well. Because of how the culture was back then, this widow had to rely on the men in her life for survival. Now that both her husband and only son were dead, she was alone with no form of support. Some biblical scholars believe this widow was beyond having more children, and too old to remarry. If this was true, she would have eventually started begging for food.
When Jesus saw this widow, verse 13 says, “He had compassion on her….” In other words, Jesus was deeply moved because of this widows situation. He told her to stop crying. It was already unusual that He approached the funeral procession, but because of His compassion, He did something that was even more bizarre. He touched the coffin which stopped the procession. According to the Law found in Numbers 19:11-22 this would have also made Him unclean. It was more important to Jesus to help this widow than to be concerned about becoming unclean. I want to point out that because Jesus is the author of life, and because of what He does next, He didn’t need to worry about being unclean. He is Immune to defilement.
Then Jesus told this young man to “get up.” This was a command for the young man, and wasn’t an option. So the young man sat up and began talking. Imagine for a second that you’re in this crowd watching all of this. I picture seeing this man wrapped in linen like a mummy sit up, then start trying to move saying, “I’d love to stand up and thank Jesus properly, but i’m a little tied down at the moment.”
Whoever it was that said “A great prophet has risen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” undoubtedly remembered Hebrew school when they learned the stories of Elijah and Elisha raising the dead over 800 years before. But, little did the crowd know, that God was actually there with them. Because of this miracle, reports about Jesus spread to towns in the surrounding areas.
Guiding Thought:
As we show compassion like Jesus did, people will see his extraordinary love and glorify God.
Let’s examine five key takeaways about compassion: compassion leads to action; compassion can be planned or spontaneous; compassion helps those in need; and compassion leads people to glorify God.
Takeaway # 1: Compassion leads to action
The first thing we need to do is define what compassion is.
There are many people who use compassion and pity interchangeably. While the dictionary defines them pretty similarly, there are slight differences between the two. As these two words work together, they cause action.
Pity is recognizing there is suffering and hardship. It is hurting for someone in need, while hoping that their need will be met. It’s out of pity that many people offer prayers for the suffering and hurting. Pity isn’t always viewed as a negative thing. However, pity falls short and means nothing, if it stops at feeling sorry without any action.
This is talked about in James 2:15-16 as James is talking about good deeds. He says,
James 2:15–16 (NLT) Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
On the other hand we have compassion. Compassion moves beyond just a feeling. Compassion is that deep stirring within us that moves us into action. Compassion is when we feel obligated to help alleviate others needs without wondering whose obligation it is to help out.
We see in Luke 7:13-14, Jesus had compassion for the widow, and in his compassion he raised her son back to life.
So Pity is the emotional feeling we get when we see a need, but its Compassion what moves us to action fulfilling that need.
Takeaway # 2: Compassion is (sometimes) Spontaneous
As Jesus and those who were with Him, were about to enter the town of Nain, they came up on the funeral. Funerals typically happened the same day the person died. The widows son (probably) died at some point earlier that day. Jesus’ act of compassion in this moment, shows us that His feelings of empathy happened in that moment. Which lead to raising this widows son back to life.
If we look at Jesus’ healing ministry, we see many times in the Gospels how Jesus responded in the moment. For example in Matthew 14:14 “When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” While this trip was planned, the great crowd that was there wasn’t.
We also see spontaneous compassion in the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37.
Takeaway # 3: Compassion is (sometimes) Planned
While compassion many times is spontaneous, we don’t want to neglect the fact that it’s also planned. For this one we need to look back at the Old Testament. Planned compassion is a command that is found in Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 15:11 (NLT) There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.
Also in Leviticus 19, God commands the farmers to not harvest the edges of their fields so that those in need would have adequate access to food.
We also see during the Passover and other festivals, there are elements that cared for the marginalized. These were all times that were planned, and all had elements of compassion for the less fortunate. Planned compassion is essential for showing God’s love in our communities.
Takeaway # 4: Compassion Helps Those in Need
In Luke 7, Jesus knew that this widow would soon be in need. Without her husband and son, it would have been extremely difficult for her to live. Once her resources ran out, with no one to care for her, she would likely end up begging for food. Jesus knew that this could happen to her if He didn’t have compassion on her to raise her son from the dead.
Jesus teaches that by helping those in need we will be serving Him directly.
Matthew 25:35–40 (NLT) For 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. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
James 2:15-17, 1 John 3:17-18, Luke 3:11, and Hebrews 13:16 teach us to demonstrate compassion by helping those in need.
Proverbs 19:17 (ESV) Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
Isaiah 58:10 (NLT) Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
Takeaway # 5: Compassion Leads People to Glorify God.
In Luke 7:16 we see that compassion made people glorify God.
Luke 7:16 (NLT) Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, “A mighty prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited his people today.”
Now this doesn’t mean that everyone liked what Jesus was doing. Some people, for some unknown reason, when they see Jesus’ compassion, they don’t like it. I think its safe to say that people even hated Jesus because of it. Look at the scribes and Pharisees in Luke 6:6-11. After seeing Jesus’ compassion as he healed the man with a withered hand, they were filled with fury and discussed what they could do to Jesus.
BUT for the people who experienced first hand the compassion of Jesus, they glorified God.
Jesus Heals a Paralytic Matthew 9:1-8
Jesus Heals Many People Matthew 15:29-31
Jesus healed the woman with a disabling Spirit Luke 13:10-13
When the Disciples showed compassion people glorified God. Look at the story of Peter and John healing the lame beggar in Acts 3:1-10. This beggar was expecting to get money, but what he got was so much better. (maybe play off of this a bit at the end, it doesn’t have to cost money, it can be prayer, friendship etc…)
Acts 3:9 (NLT) All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God.
So what are we supposed to do with this today? For each one of us this is going to be different. There may be some here today that are part of a compassion ministry that helps the marginalized, and there are others of us who aren’t. I believe that we can all grow in the area of Compassion.
Let’s pray and ask God to show us the areas where we need to be more compassionate.
Reflection Questions:
What does true compassion look like in your daily life? Does it lead to action?
Have you ever felt pity but didn’t act? What held you back?
How does Jesus' compassion challenge how you respond to others?
How can you be more intentional in showing compassion?
How does compassion reveal God’s love and glorify Him?
