“One day while riding the subway a preacher noticed an old woman shuffling in wearing only ragged clothes to protect her from the bitter Chicago winter wind. Her white, cracked, bony hands clutched a worn shawl tightly around her. The minister watched with wonder and pity. At the next stop, an energetic young man strode confidently onto the train. His warm, high-fashion clothes offered a stark contrast to the rider from the last stop. As he made his way to his seat, his eyes lingered just a moment on the old woman. Three stops later, as the train slowed, he glided by her to the other door and disappeared into the tunnel. On the woman’s lap lay his brown leather gloves. The preacher said to himself, ‘Whether this man is a believer in Christ or not, I don’t know. But what I do know is that this man saw a need and acted with compassion.’ ” (What’s So Amazing About Grace, Philip Yancey)
Every time the Gospels mention that Jesus was moved with deep emotions, it led Him to do something. The Good Samaritan was praised precisely because he acted. The priest and the Levite, paragons of Jewish virtue, flunked the test because they didn’t do anything. “Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the man who fell in with the robbers?” The answer came, “The one who treated him with compassion.” Jesus said to them, “Then go and do the same.”
If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. I John 3:17-18
Dave Lewis is on the Pastoral Care team at the Keller Campus. He blogs daily at The Gentle Healer.