Mature Compassion

Howdy ya’ll….I’m feeling like spring should be here….can I get a huge AMEN?

Just a little nugget thats been stirrin’ around in me that I’d like us to be mindful of as children and believers of the Most High God!

Ephesians 4:11-12, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, FOR THE EQUIPPING OF THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY, for the edifying of the body of Christ…”

As a Pastor I am directed and compelled as my job description to be the conduit for the “equipping of the saints”. Meaning the revelation knowledge of Jesus Christ and His word and the passing along of that knowledge rests upon those that assume those ministry positions. With that understood, there is a nugget of importance that I feel compelled to express and is so very important for the body of Christ to embrace and walk in.

Recently I’ve noticed more and more people are going through some really tough times and are feeling …. well, let’s just say ….. defeated, down in the dumps, exasperated, or even hopeless. Our sisters and brothers have very real and desperate times they are enduring. The Bible tells us there would be “those times”. So I would like to take just a moment to remind us all that …… WE DO NOT HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS ALL THE TIME! There is going to be times and things we don’t understand and don’t have answers for. In those times please understand….. we may not understand the “why” in a situation, we may not be able to explain it to the soul in despair, BUT WE CAN BE a place of compassion, hope, and peaceful solace!! Listen guys….we DO NOT HAVE TO SCRAMBLE FOR WORDS IN HARD SITUATIONS OR COME UP WITH SCRIPTURE BACKING THAT FLOODS OUT OF OUR MOUTHS LIKE A RUSHING RIVER! If we remember back in the book of Job …. Job’s friends, as kindhearted as they were for traveling to come in Job’s time of devastation, after “seven days and seven nights of silence” (Job 2:13)….. UMMMMM…..THEY SHOULD HAVE STAYED SILENT!! Now, why am I saying that?? Because there are times that ONLY GOD KNOWS WHAT TO DO, WHAT TO SAY, WHAT THE SITUATION IS, AND HOW TO COMFORT! News flash…. we are not the Almighty …. all knowing… Father of all!! And sometimes….. SILENCE IS BEST. When someone is broad-sided, down in the dumps, or completely devasted and they weep….. weep with them! Please don’t start throwing scriptures at them (especially when it’s been a very very long press and they are already clearly a person of faith and the word of God!). Don’t give them a laundry list of “things to do” spiritually as to “get the job done”!! Jesus moved “with compassion” endlessly. When there was despair or desperation ….. He did not give them a list of things to do and say…. and He certainly did not preach a sermon at them! When we start giving misguided direction we are setting ourselves up for a nice rebuke from the Almighty (Job 42:7, “And so it was, after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has”). Here we see God is more tolerant of Job’s faith searching for answers than He is of the three friends who assumed they knew all of the answers! So, sometimes its just a matter of sitting with those who need HIS PRESENCE….hug them, cry with them, pray silent with them, LISTEN TO THEM and just be with them!! And as you lift their sorrow up to God …. HE IS FAITHFUL TO TAKE CARE OF THEM!!