BE MOVED TO COMPASSION

by Tammy Phillips
August 10, 2021

“Finally, all [of you be] of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, [be] tenderhearted, [be] courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:8-9 NKJV)

Thankfully, I am not the same person I used to be.  I was not compassionate, loving, tenderhearted nor courteous. I was impatient and super selfish.  Thankfully, the Lord has changed me and taught me to be better. 

Kris and I were in Charleston last week.  We dined at Halls Chophouse and later had dessert at Peninsula Grille, two of our favorite places.   We had excellent servers.  They spoke to us of how very difficult the last year had been.  They each had been in food service all of their lives, but they told us of how mean people had become and that they had never been stiffed on tips as often as they had been in the past year.  They said there wasn’t much gray area anymore and that people were nice or mean.   Thanks be to God!  We had ears of compassion that night. 

 I confess that there have been times in the past where I had not been like Jesus.  I just kept hearing be compassionate over and over on this trip.  I needed the reminder, so I am passing it along.  We have no clue what others around us are enduring. 

The Bible shows us that the Lord had compassion, was full of compassion and was moved to compassion.  Peter tells us that we are to have one mind, the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16) We need to have the mind of Christ at all times and in all situations.  Being one minded, we are to:

• Have compassion for one another. We are to sympathize with each other. We are to bear each other’s burdens, suffer, feel, and experiences each other’s pain.   We do not know what the other person is going through.
  
  
• We are to love each other like brothers and sisters. After all, we do have the same heavenly Father.  We are to love like Jesus loved and loves us.
  
  
• We are to be tenderhearted. We are not to be hard hearted. We are to be moved to compassion and merciful like Jesus.
• We are to be courteous, friendly, and kind like Jesus.
  
  
• We are not to return evil for evil not insult for insult. We are to be a blessing.  That is hard.  When people have treated us horribly, it is hard to crucify the flesh, take the high road and be a blessing, BUT that is what we are called to.  It is what Christ did and its what we are to do to be like Jesus. 

I enCOURAGE you to remember to be full of compassion and to be moved to compassion.  Pass it on.  Have the mind of Christ.  You never know how your compassion will turn someone’s day or life around.