Day 71 (Year 2)

Human Compassion Can Connect With God’s Compassion

“If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday.” (Isaiah 58:10 NKJV)

For a time, I skipped one or two lunches each week and donated the money I saved to help the poor. Through this practice, I found myself paying closer attention to eating healthily. However, if you are dealing with illness or living in difficult circumstances, please feel free to receive help or assistance from others, and you need not fast to help others.

Believers need to put on the armor of God’s light (Romans 13:12), and this armor is to be both outward and inward. To overcome darkness, we must first remove all ungodly attitudes from within, for a godly attitude is itself a kind of spiritual weapon. Our salvation is largely out of God’s mercy, and when we cultivate compassion within us, it can, at times, connect with God’s heart of compassion, allowing us to receive His mercy in return. As Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” (Matthew 5:7 NASB) Showing compassion to those who are physically hungry or suffering is relatively straightforward. As for those who are spiritually hungry or afflicted, we must exercise discernment before helping them.

Many who have backslidden or fallen away after believing in Jesus become spiritually hungry and afflicted. Some among them might exploit believers’ compassion to drain our vitality while continuing in their unbelief and wrongdoings. I believe that if believers show compassion to the wrong people, we may suffer harm, fall into deception, become bound by the power of unbelief, increase others’ sins, and weaken our own spiritual lives. After all, if the Lord Jesus does not show compassion in a certain situation, we cannot go beyond Him and show compassion to the wicked. We can in no way be more spiritual than Jesus. Showing misguided compassion to spiritually hungry evildoers draws them away from God and gives sinners a false sense of satisfaction. Whenever we agree with someone’s unrighteous deeds, the power of unbelief is increased. Contrarily, if we first discern whose hunger or affliction the Lord desires to address and follow His will in doing so, we will sense His compassion soon or later. We must resist all deceptions with God’s righteousness. We who work together with God can shine His light even in darkness, overcoming it.

Reflection questions:  

1) Do you find it difficult to discern to whom the Lord Jesus shows compassion and to resist all deceptions with His righteousness? If so, how will you rely on Him to resolve this?  

2) Is it difficult for you to show compassion to the hungry or afflicted and help them? If so, how will you overcome this?