«Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ» (Galatians 6:2, NLT).
WHAT DOES TRUE COMPASSION MEAN? It means that we not only feel the pain of others, but that we also do something to alleviate it.
A good example of true compassion is what the well-known author Tony Campolo experienced one day. He says that one day he was in his office when his mother told him that Mrs. Kilpatrick, a family friend, had died. When Tony was a child, this lady had shown him great affection, and had taken the time to take him to museums and musical concerts. So, Tony went to the funeral, but to his surprise there was only an elderly lady there. Then Tony approached the coffin and quickly glanced at the corpse. It was that of a man! Unquestionably he was at the wrong funeral. He was leaving when the elderly lady grabbed him by the arm and, with a pained expression on her face, she said, «He was your friend, wasn’t he?»
Immediately, Tony realized he was in a delicate situation. Should he tell her that he was there by mistake? Or should he lie to her so she wouldn’t think her husband had died without friends? Tony opted for the latter.
«Your husband was a good man,» he told her.
That day, Tony accompanied the elderly lady throughout the funeral service. He went with her to the cemetery and returned with her to the funeral home, but he could no longer hide the truth. He told her that he wanted to be her friend, but in order to do so, he had to tell her the truth.
«I didn’t know your husband. I came to his funeral by mistake.»
«You’ll never know how much your presence has meant to me today,» she replied as she squeezed his hand hard.
Tony says that as he was on his way home, he was enveloped with a sense of joy, and rightly so. Not only had the widow’s pain touched him, but he had also done something to ease her sadness. Then today’s text came to his mind: «Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
There are so many people who are suffering around you and me. Will we only feel sorry for them or will we do something to ease their pain? By alleviating their burdens, we will not only be fulfilling the law of Christ; we will also be imitating His example.
Dear Jesus, please open my eyes to perceive the pain of others, and give me a compassionate heart like Yours to do something about it.
#AdultsDevotional
#RadioJovenAdventista
#MeditacionesDiarias
Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2022
“GREAT IS OUR GOD!”
From: FERNANDO ZABALA
Colaboradores: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate
