"He Was Moved With Pity"

Can you imagine what that touch meant to the leper? To illustrate, consider and experience. Dr. Paul Brand, a leprosy specialist, tells of a leper he treated in India. During the examination, the doctor laid his hand on the leper's shoulder and explained, through an interpreter, the treatment that the man would have to undergo. Suddenly, the leper began to weep. "Have I said something wrong?" The Doctor asked. The interpreter questioned the young man in his language and replied: "No doctor. He says he is crying because you put your hand around his shoulder. Until he came here no one had touched him for many years." For the leper who approached Jesus, being touched had even greater meaning. Following that one touch, the disease that had made him an outcast was gone!

Moved to dispel grief. Jesus was deeply moved by the grief of others. Consider,. for example, the account at Luke 7:11-15. It took place when, about halfway through his ministry, Jesus approached the outskirts of the Galilean city of Nain. As Jesus got near the gate of the city, he met a funeral procession. The circumstances were especially tragic. A young man who had been an only son had died, and in the mother was a widow. Once before, she had likely been in such a procession-that of her husband. This time it was her son, who perhaps had been her only support. The crowd accompanying her may have included additional mourners chanting lamentations and musicians playing mournful tunes. (Jeremiah 9:17, 18; Matthew 9:23) Jesus' gaze, however, became fixed on the grief-stricken mother, no doubt walking near the bier that carried the body of her son.

Jesus "was moved with pity" for the bereaved mother. In a reassuring tone, he said to her: "Stop weeping." Unbidden, he approached and touched the bier. The bearers-and perhaps the rest of the crowd-came to a halt. With the voice of authority, Jesus spoke to the lifeless body: "Young man, I say to you, Get up!" What happened next? "The dead man sat up and started to speak" as if awakened from a deep sleep! Then follows a most touching statement: "And [Jesus] gave him to his mother."

What do we learn from these accounts? In each case, notice the connection between compassion and action. Jesus could not see the plight of others without being moved with pity, and he could not feel such compassion without acting on it. How can we follow his example? As Christians, we have an obligation to preach the good news and to make disciples. Primarily, we are motivated by love for God. Let us remember, though, that this is also a work of compassion. When we feel for people as Jesus did, our heart will move us to do all we can to share the good news with them. (Matthew 22:37-39) What about showing compassion to fellow believers who are suffering or grieving? we cannot miraculously cure physical suffering or raise the dead. However, we can put some compassion into action by taking the initiative to express our concern or provide appropriate practical help. -Ephesians 4;32.

Next time: "Father, Forgive Them"

Draw Close To Jehovah, 2002