Peace family, how do we keep a heart that is soft and has compassion for others?
With so many examples in the news of people sinning and glorying in it, one of my friends was disgusted. He said, “Kat, when I see people doing these things, instead of feeling compassion for them, I just feel disgust. How do you find compassion?”
I think it is only reasonable that as believers, the Holy Spirit inside of us will be grieved when we see others flagrantly going against God’s wishes and rules. At the same time, we need to remember two things.
Number one, no one is ever so far gone that they can’t be redeemed by God if they turn to him. God does not give up on us. All of us are unrighteous, but God chooses to give us grace out of his own choice. None of us earns it.
Secondly, given the right circumstances, I believe that any of us could be tempted into falling into the same kinds of sins that we find most repugnant in others. Haven’t you ever ended up in a situation where you thought, “Oh my goodness, how did I get into this?” A lot of times, little choices are what build up to bigger situations. You don’t just jump right in at the big, dramatic choice. It’s a gradual slipping, and I know that I am just as vulnerable to it as anyone else when I’m not focused on Christ.
It has always bothered me when people make a distinction between “saints” and “sinners.” If you believe in Jesus and have made him the ruler of your life, you are a saint. Because you are a human, you are also a sinner, even if you have given your life over to Christ. If each of us can remember that we are just as human and as broken as anyone else, I think that will help us love others, even when it’s hard. Anyway, just a few thoughts from your friendly, neighborhood Kat.
You must be logged in to post a comment.