The Witness of Compassion

On Thursday, I was busy doing the vacuuming and I asked Mary to go in and clean out the cat litter pan.  She did it and came back to me and said that she stubbed her toe.  Since I was busy vacuuming, I just quickly told her that she would be ok and continued on with my vacuuming.  When I finished with the vacuuming I heard the sound of sobs and found her crying on the couch.  I asked her what happened and she told me that she had hurt her toe.  My heart sank.  I failed.  She came and told me that she was hurt and I just blew it off.  I told her I was very sorry that I hadn't listened to her earlier and examined her toe.  Now, we generally have a rule in our house.  No blood, no bandaid.  However, this time, I made an exception.  We went in to the bathroom and got a special bandaid, you know the kind that is really pretty but doesn't really stop bleeding.  Fortunately, there was no actual bleeding to stop.  That did the trick.  Mary's toe was absolutely 100% better.

I have been challenged in thinking how I failed to represent Christ to my child with this lack of compassion.  Is that the way that God treats me?  No!  Whenever I come to Him even with a small concern, He listens to me and comforts me.  He does not blow me off but takes the time to listen to me!  The Bible says that Jesus had compassion on the crowds (Matthew 9:36, 14:14).  He also had compassion on two blind men and healed them (Matthew 20:34).  James tells us that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy (James 5:11).  Paul writes, "Be kind and compassionate to one another..." (Ephesians 4:32) and also "clothe yourselves with compassion..." (Colossians 3:2).  Jesus was compassionate.  I am to reflect the image of Christ.  Therefore, I am to be compassionate.  I was not.

Does it end there?  Thank God it does not.  Certainly if God commands that we do something, He will help us to do it.  Paul tells us, "...for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Philippians 2:13).  I am encouraged to seek God's help this week to be more compassionate and so reflect the heart of God to my children.  I am encouraged to listen to their concerns when they come to me, to try to understand them, and to help them to deal with them in a godly way.