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marbella3 70F
2483 posts
9/15/2020 4:22 am

Last Read:
9/15/2020 5:27 pm

Compassion on the Job

Bible in a Year:
Proverbs 22–24

2 Corinthians 8
[Jesus] had compassion on them and healed their sick.

Matthew 14:14

Today's Scripture & Insight:

Matthew 14:1–14
My friend Ellen calculates payroll for an accounting firm. This may sound like a straightforward job, but there are times when employers submit their information later than requested. Ellen often makes up for this by working long hours so employees can receive their money without delay. She does this out of consideration for the families that depend on those funds to buy groceries, purchase medicine, and pay for housing.

Ellen’s compassionate approach to her job points me to Jesus. On earth, He sometimes ministered to people when it was inconvenient for Him. For instance, Christ wanted some alone time after He heard that John the Baptist had been killed, so He boarded a boat in search of an isolated place (Matthew 14:13). Perhaps He needed to grieve for His relative and pray through His sorrow.

There was just one problem. Crowds of people tagged along behind Him. This group had various physical needs. It would have been much easier to send the people away, but “when Jesus landed and saw [them], he had compassion on them and healed their sick” (v. 14).

Although it was part of Jesus’ calling to teach people and cure their diseases as He ministered on earth, His empathy affected the way in which He carried out His responsibilities. May God help us to recognize His compassion in our lives and give us the strength to pass it on to others.

Reflect & Pray
How have you experienced God’s compassion and care? What prevents you from showing God’s love when you carry out your daily responsibilities?

Dear Jesus, thank You for meeting my spiritual and physical needs. Help my thankfulness to overflow in the world so that I can glorify You through caring for other people.


MrsJoe 76F
17408 posts
9/15/2020 5:34 am

Sometimes it's the little things that we take time to do that touches people more than the big things. I remember when my husband died. Our pastor had left the area to take the responsibilities of the national director of a ministerial organization and he had moved to Tulsa, OK. He took the time to come out of his way to stop by the church on the day of the funeral to offer me his love and condolences. Just that gesture, gave me so much strength and encouragement and I'll never forget it.

Be a prism, spreading God's light and love, not a mirror reflecting the world's hatred.


lilium6 74F
4498 posts
9/15/2020 12:16 pm

    Quoting MrsJoe:
    Sometimes it's the little things that we take time to do that touches people more than the big things. I remember when my husband died. Our pastor had left the area to take the responsibilities of the national director of a ministerial organization and he had moved to Tulsa, OK. He took the time to come out of his way to stop by the church on the day of the funeral to offer me his love and condolences. Just that gesture, gave me so much strength and encouragement and I'll never forget it.
I agree; small gestures can mean much to a crushed spirit. I too welcomed my then parish priest's caring concern (although rarely articulated) when I was going through a particularly stressful period in my life. He was a man of few words but I sensed his concern through his silent acts of kindness.