Listen, Learn, and Show Compassion

 SHOW COMPASSION

At a critical time in his life, Lot as slow to obey Jehovah's instructions.  Two angels visited Lot and told him to bring his family out of Sodom.  Why? They said: "We are going to destroy this place." (Genesis 19:12, 13)  The next morning, Lot and his family were still at home. So the angels again warned Lot. But "he kept lingering."  We may judge Lot as being apathetic, even  disobedient.  However, Jehovah did nto give up on him.  "Because of Jehovah's compassion for him," the angels took the family by the hand and let them outside the city. - Read GENESIS 19:15, 16. 

Jehovah might have felt compassion for Lot for a number of reasons. Let may been reluctant to leave his home because he feared the people outside the city.  There were others dangers too.  Lot likely knew of the two kings who fallen into pits of bitumen, or asphalt, in a nearby valley.  (Genesis14:8-12)   As a husband and a father, lot must have worried about his family.  In addition, Lot was wealthy, so he may have owned a fine house in Sodom.  (Genesis 13:5, 6)  Of course, none of those factors excused Lot for failing to obey Jehovah immediately. However, Jehovah looked beyond Lot's mistake and viewed him as a "righteous man." - 2 PETER 2:7, 8. 

Rather than judge another person's actions, do your best to understand how he feels.  Veronica, a sister in Europe, tried to do that.  "One sister always seened to be in a bad mood," She relates: "She kept isolating herself from others. Sometimes, I was afraid to approach her . But I thought,  'If I were in her situation, I would need a friend.'  So I decided to ask her how she was feeling And she started to open up her heart!  Now I understand  a lot more about her.

The only person who fully understands us is Jehovah.  (Proverbs 15:11) So ask him to help you to see in others what he sees and to understand how to show compassion for them.  Prayer helped a sister named  Anzhela to be more empathetic.  A siter in her congregation had become difficult to get along with. Anzhela admits:  "It would have been very easy to fall into the trap of criticizing the sister and to 'wash my hands  of her. But then I asked Jehovah to help me empathize with this sister."  Did Jehovah anwer Anzhela's prayer?  She continues:  "We went in the ministry together and talked afterward for hours.  I listened to her with compassion.  Now I have more love for her, and I'm  determined to help her." 

You cannot pick which brothers and sisters deserve your commpassion  All of them face probelms as did Jonah, Elijah, Hagar, and Lot in a number of cases, they have brought the problems on themselves. Realistically, all of us have done  that at some point.  It is reasonable, then, for Jehoah to ask us to show fellow feeling for on another.  (1 Peter 3:8)  When we obey Jehovah, we add to the unity of our remarkable and diverse global family.  So when dealing with one another, may we be determined to listen, learn, and show compassion.

 Next time: "I Have Called You Friends"

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