Comrade in Compassion

Tuesday 7 November
READ: Heb. 4: 14 - 16          
MORE LESSON:  Rom. 12: 15

God allows us to go through some things so that we can bring succor to people who are passing through such things. Jesus advocates for us because He has experienced the temptations and struggles that we face as humans. Heb. 4: 15 says, For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. In other to save humans who are flesh and blood, Jesus had to leave His divinity and manifest as flesh and blood: Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil: Heb 2:14. It is good to  associate with people's weakness and empathize with them.  We shouldn't judge or condemn people when we do not even have an idea how it feels to experience what they are going through.

This brings to mind the story I heard on the news years ago. There was a very rich lady named Paris Hilton of the Hilton Conglomerate family pedigree.  Being from a rich family, she couldn't relate to the struggle of the poor and destitute but regarded them as second class people.  She lived in luxury and partied around in extravagance. One day she was driving while drunk so the police picked and detained her for 23 days. She was put in a small room with no phone or electronic device, except a Bible. She said she read the Bible till she got tired of reading it. She came out of the place refined and never remained the same again. When she was released, her family welcomed her back and spent a lot to make her comfortable and get over the trauma of the detention. But she couldn't get her mind off the many people she met in the prison who had no family to receive them when they leave the prison. Many therefore go back to committing crime so that they could be locked up again. They have no one and nothing out there in the world and actually feel more secured and catered for in prison than out and free.

Having experienced the struggles of these people, she took it upon herself to help rehabilitate people who have come out of prison and re-integrate them into the community. Instead of wasting her money on wild-living, she found a purpose; using it to help ex-convicts settle back to a decent life after living prison.  We must be compassionate and identify with the pains of people. By the reason of grace, we might have been lifted above the struggles of other people but we should not despise them. This doesn't mean that we should desire to be comrades in struggle with them, but we can be comrades in compassion. Remember, this high priest of ours understands our weaknesses for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin (Heb. 4:15).

Prayer/Action
*  Ask God to give you a compassionate heart.
* Pray that you will be a source of blessing and encouragement to people going through difficult times.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, by Your love and mercy, settle me before this month runs out, change my waiting to a testimony, in the name of Jesus.