A Soft Heart
Another time he went into a synagogue, and a man with a shrivelled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath … … Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath; to do good, or to do evil, to save a life or to kill?” But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts Mark 3:1,2,4,5
The word translated in the NIV as stubborn means something that has become very hard, particularly something that was now calloused. The original word was even used of a stone.
The hearts of the Pharisees were hardened. In contrast, Jesus’ heart was filled with compassion for this poor man.
In the Gospels Jesus often felt compassion for the sick (Matthew 14:14; 20:34; Mark 1:41). The three other groups He felt compassion for were:
· people who had lost their way (Matthew 9:36-38; Mark 6:34)
· people whose basic survival needs were not being met (Matthew 15:32; Mark 6:34; 8:2,3)
· people in grief (Luke 7:11-15)
God’s people are told ‘clothe yourselves with compassion’ (Colossians 3:12) and ‘to live in harmony with one another … be compassionate …’ (1 Peter 3:8). Paul wrote openly of his compassion for the churches (2 Corinthians 6:12; Philippians 1:8). God is ‘the Father of compassion and God of all comfort’ (2 Corinthians 1:3). God’s salvation through Christ is described by Mary as ‘the tender mercy (literally: compassion) of our God’ (Luke 1:78).
The heart of living the Christian life is the ability to draw on the life of Christ in us. When the New Testament encourages believers to imitate God or a godly person, the emphasis is not on the resource we draw on but on the one we copy.
But how do we imitate Christ’s compassion? We let Christ express His compassion through us. ‘God can testify how I long for you with all the affection (literally: compassion) of Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 1:8). Our ‘tenderness and compassion’ come ‘from being united in Christ’ (Philippians 2:1). Christ was and continues to be compassionate. He lives in us, allowing us to draw from His compassion.
Imitation is only achievable through drawing on the indwelling Christ.
How compassionate are you? Do you feel compassion for the sick, the lost, those who are without, and those in grief?
Compassion and a soft heart go together. A lack of compassion and a hardened heart go together. How soft is your heart right now?
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