Compassion: God's Compassionate Heartናሙና

Compassion for Enemies

How do you feel and act toward people who oppose you?

Jesus calls his followers to practice his way of compassionate mercy, explaining that they should be merciful not just toward their friends but especially toward their enemies. It’s easy to care for those who return the favor, he says. It takes care and effort to remain tenderhearted and forgiving toward those who can give nothing in return or especially toward those who wish us harm.

This is a radical and difficult calling, but Jesus provides us with the ultimate example of this kind of compassion through his death at the hands of those who rejected him. As Paul points out in Romans 5:7-8, it is rare for a person to give his or her life on behalf of another, though perhaps someone might dare to die for a really good person. But Jesus died for all of us while we were still caught up in our destructive ways of life.

As he is dying on the cross, Jesus shows beautiful and shocking compassion as he humbly requests forgiveness for the Roman soldiers who have been actively mocking, whipping, beating and stabbing him (Luke 23:34). He wants them to be forgiven, not harmed in return. To be compassionate like Jesus, to truly embrace God’s divine compassion toward all people, means practicing that same kind of patient, forgiving compassion toward everyone we meet.

Reflection:

Jesus gave up his life for us while we were still resisting his ways. Take a moment to reflect on that expression of his compassion toward you. Does this make sense according to average ways of thought, especially in terms of giving people what they deserve? Do we tend to reserve compassion until people change, or do we offer compassion to people even while they are actively doing wrong?

How might you respond to Jesus’ call to extend compassion even to your enemies?