Compassion-Sympathy in Actionr

Moreover, compassion has the power to relieve affliction. As we have noted, it reflects a spirit of sympathy toward those in distress and causes us to suffer with those who suffer. Compassion involves tender regard for people in misery and positive action to help such ones.

By being sympathetic, Christians imitate Jesus. He was never too busy to help others in both material and spiritual ways.  When he discerned that others were in need, he compassionately found a way to help.  

Consider how Jesus reacted when he saw crowds  of spiritually destitute people:  "On seeing the crowds he felt pity for them, because they were skinned and thrown about like sheep without a shepherd."  (Matthew 9:36) Regarding the word here rendered "felt pity," one Bible scholar says that it denotes  "an emotion which moves a man tot he very depths of his being."  In fact, this word has been called  one of the strongest words in Greek for the feeling of compassion.

In a similar way, compassionate Christians respond quickly to the material and spiritual needs of others. The apostle Peter wrote:  All of you be like-minded, showing fellow feeling, having brotherly affection, tenderly compassionate." (1 Peter 3:8) For instance, when a family  of needy Christians had to move to a new area for health reasons, fellow believers there let them use a house rent-free for six months. the husband relates:   "Every day they came to see how  we were doing, and their encouraging comments made us feel at home."

Next time: Conclusion of: Compassion-Sympathy in Action

From the Watchtower magazine, 2007