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Posts Tagged ‘compassion’

Compassion For The Unadoptable

Posted in Paws & Reflect, tagged , , , on June 24, 2024| Leave a Comment »

We attended a mega adoption event yesterday and I was filled with compassion for these dogs and cats that live their lives in kennels or crates because of the choices that we have made as humans. I wanted to take every one of them home! I told Tami that we need 50 acres so we can open a sanctuary for those fur babies that have been deemed “unadoptable” by society.

It reminded me that the Bible mentions several times that Jesus had compassion on those around Him who suffered or had been deemed “unadoptable” by society. Luke 7:13 tells us that Jesus had compassion on a widow who was burying her only child. Jesus told her to, “weep not” and He brought the young man back to life. In Mark 1:41 Jesus had compassion on a leper (a societal outcast) who came to Him to be healed. He was healed immediately. In Matthew 14:14 Jesus felt compassion for the multitudes of hurt and suffering people around Him and He healed their sick. Jesus didn’t care if these were people who had been cast out by their peers. He cared about them. He had compassion on them.

Just as I feel compassion for these precious four legged friends, Jesus feels compassion for us in our suffering. There are more verses in the Bible that talk about the compassion of Jesus. Jesus cares deeply about our suffering and He has compassion for us.

He is still here today to heal the sick and the brokenhearted just as He was in Bible times. If you are suffering today or facing difficult circumstances, remember the One who has compassion on ALL of us: Jesus. Even if you feel that you have been cast out by society, who cares what society thinks. Jesus has compassion on every one of us, despite our circumstances. Seek Jesus! He is waiting to heal whatever it is you are suffering from.

Challenge: Look up the verses that talk about the compassion of Jesus. Write out a prayer pouring out your heart to Him about your situation and surrender it to God. Thank Him for His compassion toward you. You are not alone in your struggles!

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Mercy For All

Posted in My Daily Life, tagged , , , , on May 27, 2014| 2 Comments »

mercy

 

 

 

As an employee of the Sisters of Providence, I have come to respect and embrace their charism of Love, Mercy and Justice. However, I have had a hard time understanding why they oppose the death penalty and care so much for those who have committed such horrible, unthinkable crimes against others. After all, they have to be hardened murderers to be on death row, right? So, why would the Sisters choose to have mercy on and even pray for those on death row?

Every month, the Sisters post the names of those awaiting execution that month, along with the date of the execution. I know they pray for these individuals and for the abolishment of the death penalty itself. I love Jesus and I hate injustice, but I could not understand why they would pray for these horrible criminals. I was talking to a co-worker one night and we were in agreement that these men and women deserved everything they got. We agreed that they should die the way their victims died. NO MERCY!

And then, very softly and with the gentlest whisper in my spirit, I felt Jesus speak to me. This has happened all within the last week or so. Within a day of my conversation with my co-worker, I heard that those inmates that were to be executed by lethal injection had had their executions stayed because the injections were said to be inhumane. My immediate reaction to this news was, “Who cares? They didn’t have any compassion for the ones they murdered.” I still did not understand why society should care about these inmates. How could the Sisters pray for these monsters? How could God have mercy on these inmates? What was wrong with them?

I started reading a book called, Mercy in the City: How to Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Visit the Imprisoned, and keep your day job…by Kerry Weber. In it, Kerry describes her visit to San Quinton and the conversations she has with a group of inmates who are participating in theology classes with the Catholic chaplain. In these conversations, the men express their sadness at being judged by their crimes and not for who they are now. They all agreed that they are not their crimes and that if God could save someone like Saint Paul, then maybe there is hope for them. As I read, I felt God asking me, “Who are you to play judge and jury? If I choose to have mercy on the sinner, that includes you too. It was MY decision to send MY Son as a sacrifice to pay for the sins of the ENTIRE human race, not just a chosen few. If they choose me, I will prepare a place for them with me in MY kingdom.”

The question soon became, what is wrong with me? For someone who claims to love Jesus, for someone who hates injustice, why do I have such a hardened spirit when it comes to these men and women who are living in spiritual darkness? If I can’t find mercy in my heart for those on death row, then do I really love Jesus as much as I say I do? That question stung.

I felt immediate remorse for my attitude and the words spoken by Jesus as he hung on the cross burn deeply in my heart, “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

If my beloved Savior, Jesus, could forgive those killing him, even as He hung there wounded and bloody, how can I NOT follow his example and show mercy for those inmates on death row and otherwise. Maybe the Sisters have it right. They must since it seems God is answering their prayers.

I still struggle with this. I feel that I am betraying those that have lost their lives at the hands of these men and women. I have to remember that justice belongs to the Lord. It isn’t up to me.

I have decided that I will join the Sisters in their prayers of mercy and I will pray for those who are unfortunate enough to find themselves on the monthly list of executions. I will join the Sisters in their prayers for an end to the death penalty, thus allowing God to be God.

If you would like more information on the Sisters of Providence, visit their website at http://www.spsmw.org.

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Intentional Acts of Love

Posted in From My Heart, tagged , , , , , , on April 21, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Gods love

 

I like the idea behind random acts of kindness, but I prefer to call them Intentional Acts of Love. The freedictionary.com defines random as having no specific pattern, purpose, or objective. On the other hand the same website defines intentional as something being done deliberately or on purpose. If the Holy Spirit dwells within us, then our acts of kindness will come from a heart of love. They will not be acts of kindness that have no specific pattern, purpose or objective. They will become acts of love done deliberately to glorify God and on purpose to bring the ministry of Jesus to a hurting world. Luke 10:27 says:

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Romans 13:8-10

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.  The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

When the Holy Spirit dwells within us, then we will be filled with love for God and love for other people, regardless of their race, socio-economic background or denominational ties. We will weep when others weep, we will rejoice when others rejoice, our hearts will be burdened to bring the lost sheep of the world back into the fold where they can be loved by a compassionate God. What can we do to act with love and bring Jesus to a hurting world? Listed below are some suggestions:

  • Encourage someone who may be going through tough times.
  • Mentor an at risk teen or child.
  • Make blankets for the homeless.
  • adopt an elderly person in a nursing home or in your neighborhood.
  • clean the house of an elderly person or single mom.
  • Bless a single mom with some mom time by taking the kids for a couple of hours or an afternoon.
  • do errands for an elderly person or a person who has just had surgery.
  • Take baked goods as a token of appreciation to your local fire station.
  • Pick up trash in a park or a roadway.
  • adopt a soldier.
  • Buy a fast food gift card for a homeless person.
  • Put the shopping cart back in its’ place
  • put other shopping carts back in their places.
  • Leave a generous tip for a restaurant server.
  • Send a note of encouragement to a stranger.
  • Be kind to someone who is not always kind to you.
  • Give up the great parking space to someone else.
  • Visit someone in the hospital or nursing home who may not get many visitors.
  • Be a voice of encouragement to those working in hospice care.
  • Give your mail carrier bottles of water during the hot Summer months.
  • Leave a box of doughnuts and coffee for your garbage collectors.
  • Be that person who brings a sugar-free desert to the next gathering for any diabetics who may be attending.
  • Make a positive comment on a website or blog.
  • Mentor a teen mom.
  • Build a REAL community with those on your street, where neighbors do things for one another and love each other.

I have given you 25 ideas and the internet is filled with many, many more. If we have a heart of compassion for those we meet in our daily lives and intentionally look for ways to be Jesus to others, God will open the doors to opportunities to serve others on a daily basis. Live intentionally, with love, like Jesus lived.

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