1 Thessalonians 5:6-15
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
NIV
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
Should we perceive that we have others around us that are weak, in distress or have need of encouragement then it is our Christian, fatherly and Godly responsibility to provide stability by fighting against the hindrances in others by the love in our hearts, gifts and talents in our lives, and the anointing that gives us the strength to do so.
Why is this important?
- People who continue to live in an unbalance will find themselves more likely to stumble.
- People whom do not receive the truth from a Godly individual are more likely to believe Satan’s deceptions
- Youth who may not understand completely what is right and wrong may have the lines blurred to think what they are doing hurts no one or themselves
- Under-encouraged people are more prone for aggravation, short-fused behavior and a defensive attitude fighting against you who is “judging” them or is “better than they are”
Remember: when we see others that are wounded or vulnerable we must help them to get out of trouble so they can one day gain strength and be able to fight for themselves
Romans 15:1-7
1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
One of the major issues of why mankind rejects showing compassion is that we want something in return or expect things to compensate us for the effort given.
Compassion is not compensation, nor is compensation compassion
Compensation is something awarded to someone as a recompense for loss, injury, or suffering.
Compassion: is sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.
1 John 4:19
We love him, because he first loved us.
When God saved your soul he did not want compensation, he showed compassion
Mark 12:29-31
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
The commandment of God shows the the model of what the first two things in our lives should represent: God and God’s compassion for others
Matthew 6:32-34
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
God is saying I’ll take care of the compensation if you will take care of giving compassion
Matthew 18:11-14
11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.
14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
If we never leave a person behind and we help them along we must celebrate their victories, honor their efforts, and love them in spite of the enemies attempts to destroy them. For even when one would perceive them as gone we should never leave them behind.
Let the lost be found, the found be celebrated and our mission never waiver from the pursuit of the hurt and the broken. So long as we stand as soldiers of Christ, let our work demonstrate His love for us that never left us behind, forsook us, and never let us be alone.