Compassion Wanted

Jonah 4:11, "Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?"

This was God's answer to Jonah, after he proclaimed God's judgment to the wicked Assyrian capital city of Niniveh. But because the whole city repented, God relented its destruction. And this made Jonah really, really disappointed.

"Was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity." (Jonah 4:2)

Many times we let the comforts of religiosity make our faith stale and stagnant rather than letting it flow, expressed to ripple off. We forget the compassion rendered upon us by the Lord "while we were yet sinners". We readily label the supposed less closer to God to a point of disgusting self-righteousness. But our lack of compassion and genuine concern just reveals that we are no more enlightened and transformed than them. We fail to see that more than statistics they are victims in need of a Savior like we were once.

John 3:17, "For God did not send the Son to judge the world, but the world might be saved through Him."

Lord, may I reflect your compassion for the hurting, the blind, and the weary. Fan the flame of compassion and the burden for the lost, the students and the young people. Let it grow stronger. Search me and mold me.