Compassion is defined as ‘sympathetic pity and concerns for the sufferings or misfortunes of others’ and is derived from two words literally meaning to ‘suffer with.’ Jesus was moved with compassion when he saw crowds of people because he saw they were ‘harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.’ (Matt 9:36) It was compassion which caused him to feed the crowds (see Matt 15:32) and to heal the blind (see Matt 20:34); in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the father is filled with compassion when he sees his returning son (Luke 15:20). God is called ‘the Father of compassion’ (2 Cor 1:3), so clearly having compassion is part of our growth in godliness.
In our world today, however, it is easy to become inured to sorrow, tragedy and devastation and to become, if not hard-hearted, at least so wrung out that we feel we have nothing left to give. Having a soft, tender heart means we will be easily hurt and wounded; we will feel the pains and sorrows of others and sometimes feel we cannot cope daily with that kind of pain, so we hide away. The only way we can truly cope with the sorrows and misfortunes of others is to bring these before God.
