Using whatever resources you have to show
compassion to those who are suffering and in need is exhibiting Christ-like
action for that person.
Jesus’ story of the good Samaritan illustrates
this kind of compassion (Luke 10:30-38). When a Samaritan traveler on business
happens upon a severely wounded Jew who’s been robbed and beaten up, the
Samaritan immediately uses all his resources to show compassion: he risks
personal safety to stop and help, he uses his personal supplies to clean the
wounds and bandage the man up, he puts the wounded man on his donkey and takes
him to the closest Inn, he pays for the man’s room in the Inn for as long as
needed and any potential medical care, and then he returns later to check on
him. And to do all this, the Samaritan has to willingly cross multiple
boundaries and taboos, risking his entire reputation with the folks back home.
Not a great business plan! But he does this because he’s motivated, as Jesus
specifically states, by “compassion.” Whether this man knew Christ or not, he
was, by definition, a follower of the way of Christ. Today’s Christ followers
offer intentional and bold compassion with whatever they possess, too.
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