Recently I had the honor of teaching at BY Unite, our Wednesday night program for middle and high school students at Berean. Together we looked at Matthew 9.
"And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew 9:35-36 ESV).
Jesus' Compassion Goes Beyond Empathy
In this passage, we see the compassion of Jesus. Compassion is feeling deep sympathy that always results in caring action. It is a step beyond empathy. When we see something and we are moved by it or feel sympathetic toward them, this is empathy. Compassion takes it a step further and acts in a manner to love and care for the person in need. It is when we choose to not just stand by and observe but to step into the situation and act.
Time and time again we see Jesus in the New Testament acting with compassion. Constantly he was surrounded by crowds that were pressing around him. They wanted to hear what he was teaching and many were sick and looking for healing. Rarely was Jesus left alone to rest and relax. Yet, Jesus continually showed compassion to people.
Jesus' compassion was for both the people's physical and spiritual condition. He came to preach the gospel of his kingdom. He looked around and saw people who were stuck in their sin and had no hope other than a Messiah who was to come. He also saw people who were physically suffering and in need of healing and relief. His heart was moved. He felt for them. He desired their peace. But rather than a heart that was merely empathetic toward people in need, Jesus also stepped into the arena of their need to do something about it. This is compassion.
Parents Can Model Compassion to Their Children
As parents, we want to raise and develop compassionate children. We want to challenge them to see the needs of others, both the spiritual and the physical. We want to help them step into the arena of others' needs and act on their behalf. We want to help them follow the example of Jesus.
I am consistently thankful that our God is a God of compassion rather than just empathy, or even apathy. The fact that Jesus came to earth was an act of compassion in itself. God knew our state of brokenness, stuck in our sin, with no hope for relief or resolution. But God, with great compassion for his creation, saw our state and willingly stepped in and acted on our behalf.
The example of Jesus is one for us to follow. There are so many around us that are hurting and have no hope. They are hurting physically and spiritually. As parents, the best way to lead our children toward a life of compassion is to be an example of active, ongoing compassion toward others.
We can consistently share the message of the gospel and provide help and support where it is needed. And not only can we show our children what compassion toward others looks like, but we can include them, bringing them into our process of helping others.
Teaching our children what compassion is, showing them what it looks like, and including them in compassionate acts toward others is gospel work. Not only is it doing the work of our Savior, but it will also help them understand who their Savior is and what he has done for us.