Just having finished cleaning up the yard from limbs and debris from last night’s storm I was startled as I sat down to my computer to finish up some details prior to the upcoming Sabbath.  Kaboom-Rumble-Clap-Crash! Not an unfamiliar sound for this time of year with the summer storms common to lower Alabama…  but it brought to mind something I want to share with you all this evening.

Society is learning the humans need and desire a great amount of compassion.  I remember in my post graduate studies having to carefully study and research the concept of compassion when it came to counseling.  Over the years I’ve listened to many who shared their stories where others lacked compassion in working with them.  Sad actually.

I am reminded of the occasion when Christ and His disciples journeyed to Jerusalem.  On their way, they planned to rest at a Samaritan village.  The group sent messengers ahead to arrange accommodations, but the village refused to be cooperative.  Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, but the Samaritans wanted nothing to do with the trip, because of their hatred for the Jews. The disciples with Christ were torqued!  These villagers refused Jesus!  How dare they!  (Luke 9:54)  “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven and destroy them!?”James and John, nicknamed the ”sons of thunder” were enthusiastic for what they believed.

They lacked however a very important ingredient: the compassion that comes from God’s Holy Spirit.  We often overlook this key ingredient of using God’s Spirit in our daily lives.  We’re to be helpers of other’s lives, not destroyers. Sometimes, if not careful, it seems we all can be more inclined to be like the sons of thunder, than compassion, merciful, forgiving Christians.

Compassion and mercy in this world faces extinction.  (Romans 1:29-31)  We see a picture of the days we now live in.  II Timothy 3:2-5 says in those last days people will refuse to love others or even forgive them by extension. Last night in our Mount Carmel Fellowship weekly evening interactive Bible study, we talked about a faithful servant having mercy and being forgiving.

Compassion fits right in with that focus. Matthew 5:7 also reminds us that if we are merciful, we will obtain mercy.  We all desire to have others be merciful to us don’t we?  Compassion similarly is an area we all desire others to have such with us as well.

The startling clapping of the thunder, reminded me of the importance of having compassion for our fellow human beings around us…  being merciful and forgiving… …as I close this letter, as I do every Friday evening…  as we enter His Sabbath…  reflect on this with me, will you?

And again, may God continue to richly bless you.  Our prayers and thoughts are with you daily!  Please do pray for us as well.