Practical Compassion

Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more …

– 1 Thessalonians 4:9–10

As Christ-followers, we're often reminded about the importance of helping our neighbors and showing compassion to strangers. Jesus taught this principle through The Good Samaritan, one of the most familiar stories of the Bible.

It’s in Luke’s gospel that we read about a traveler who was attacked by robbers and left for dead. A priest discovered the wounded man, but elected to pass him by. Later, a Levite (a member of one of the tribes of Israel) also saw the man lying on the ground, and he too avoided him. But when a Samaritan — a member of a despised ethnic group — happened to come by, he bandaged up the injured stranger, checked him into a motel, and even prepaid the bill!

The story’s two supposedly "good" people had a chance to help the helpless, but they went out of their way to do nothing. Instead, it was the Samaritan who found God's approval because he showed practical compassion to his neighbor (a stranger).

This lesson raises some important questions: 

How well are we treating other Christ-followers — let alone perfect strangers? And is our relationship with fellow Believers both holy and loving?

The moment we put our faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, we join an enormous, worldwide family that spans race, nationality, gender, and generation. We may be very different, but it's our faith in Christ that bridges the gap. We also share a common, eternal destiny with a loving Father. And he’s at the core of our very words, thoughts, and deeds.

It’s this truth that separates Christ-followers from everyone else on earth. And since the world is watching us and questioning our motives, it’s crucial that we live out our faith and treat others accordingly.

What does that look like? It’s by celebrating each other's triumphs, mourning each other's losses, and sacrificing our own selfish interests that we can exhibit transformed lives and ongoing spiritual growth. And above all, we must follow Jesus' example — one where LOVE is an action-word rather than a feeling. As Christ reminds us through John’s gospel:

"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."