And of some have compassion, making a difference: (Jude 22)
Our faces are the first thing others see. There, people can see our smiles or the stress we carry from a long day with wild children. We wear our emotions on our faces. Our faces are a gateway to our innermost thoughts or, better yet, a mirror reflecting our hearts and minds.
The face often has a language of its own. In fact, an important part of sign language is facial expressions. They show the tone, intensity, and importance of the message. Whether or not we realize it, our faces speak before our mouths or hands ever can. Mouths and hands can say what we have been rehearsing our whole lives:
“I’m praying for you.”
“Come to church with me.”
“Oh, I am sorry to hear that.”
However, we should ask ourselves if our faces truly reflect compassion. Compassion is the sympathetic awareness of another’s distress coupled with a desire to alleviate it. It is the active motivation to help, care for, and support another. Some have said “compassion” literally means “to suffer together.”
Our pastor has been preaching an amazing series lately on mercy. He mentioned in one of those sermons that compassion is the act of mercy. It made me think of Jude 22: And of some have compassion, making a difference: Many times, the word “compassion” is used in the Bible in reference to Jesus. Jesus had compassion on the multitudes, the woman at the well, the poor, the forgotten, and those denied of society. He had compassion on those whom the world judged.
How often have we been guilty of inviting someone to church through words that sounded insincere because our faces showed the judgment of their poor choices rather than the compassion of Christ’s care? Compassion is the difference maker. It has been said that ministry is people—people who have done wrong, who have been broken, and who have been wrecked by the harshness of the world. It takes more than just saying something sweet and mundane to help these people. It takes the act of compassion, showing them the same care and love that Jesus had for others.
Remember, Jesus loved us while we were yet sinners. May we have Christ’s compassion in our hearts and on our faces, so that when the broken see it, God can use us to make a difference in their lives. Today, as we go through our busy routines, we should let our faces show that compassion so we can impact others for Christ!
by Jessica Jackson
