Have Compassion
Scripture Reading — Luke 7:11-17
When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
Luke 7:13
There’s a story of a childless pastor in Seoul who adopted a pet dog, raising it as his child. The dog slept in the pastor’s bed and was fed expensive biscuits and beef. One day, the dog became sick. The pastor brought his dog to a hospital and went home to pray tearfully. A few days later, news came that the dog had died. The pastor had been praying while crying constantly.
He suddenly heard the Lord’s voice: “Have you ever bought beef for my sheep to eat? Have you ever bought biscuits to give to the children? Have you ever prayed so tearfully for any of my people when they were ill, or cried so much when one of your flock passed away?” The pastor admitted he had not done these things faithfully.
God spoke again: “Are you a pastor of dogs or of my church?” Realizing God’s burning love, the pastor’s heart was changed. He went on to become the caring pastor of a thriving church.
In today’s Scripture, a young man died. His mother was an impoverished widow. Without a husband, she must have lived in extreme poverty. Who would help her? Who would wipe away her tears? Jesus!
Do you know someone who needs the care of Christ? You today are the hands and feet of the Savior. Show the love of Christ through your tears, compassion, and love.
Lord God, help us to have a burning love and compassion for you and your church. Help us to become more like Jesus, comforting those in grief, helping those in tears. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
About the author — Jang Ho Park
Jang Ho Park is a pastor in Tacoma, Washington. He and his wife, Jong Boon, have two sons.
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