| “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.” |
| —Psalm 103:13 |
When asked to describe examples of the word “compassion,” an audience at a Christian conference gave a long and detailed list of various times when they had seen someone act in a compassionate way toward someone. When I think of compassion, I think of the look I saw one day on a father’s face, as he watched his two-year-old son try to figure out a puzzle.
The puzzle was obviously perplexing the child. As the father looked on, he had various expressions on his face: amusement, pride, and then, loving concern. As the child became more and more frustrated, at one point he looked up at his dad as if to say:
“Help me, Daddy!”
In that moment a look came upon the father’s face that I will never forget. It was a look that said:
“I see you are frustrated, son. I’m so proud of you for trying. I don’t want you to be consumed with frustration. So now, I’m going to reach out and help you.”
That, dear ones, was true compassion. And, that is exactly the kind of compassion that God feels when He looks at you and when He looks at me.
King David knew, first hand, the kind of frustration he must have exhibited to his heavenly Father. He knew that in spite of all of his foibles and mistakes, God loved him and would always reach out to him with compassion. No doubt that’s what prompted David to pen these words found in Psalm 103:13:
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
As we begin another day, let’s rejoice that our God is a God of compassion. He looks on us with eyes of unfailing, undying love. He reaches out to help us because of His great love for us.
In like manner, let’s allow the compassion of our God to flow through us and touch the hearts and minds of others. Let’s show our willingness to help those in genuine need who look up at us and say:
“Help me, please.”
And, let’s extend whatever help we can give, with hearts full of the same kind of compassion that God shows toward us. May God grant us the ability to extend His love and compassion to those who cross the pathway of our lives.
Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, September 25, 2018
