What steps can we take to cultivate compassion in our daily lives? Seeing the Missed Moment “So too, a Levite, when he came to that spot and saw him, passed by on the other side.” (Luke 10:32) The Levite literally saw a wounded man yet chose distance. That snapshot warns of what happens when knowledge of God’s Word is not matched by obedient compassion. Step One: Submit Your Eyes to Scripture • Accept every detail of Luke 10 as historical and authoritative; treat the Levite’s failure as a mirror. • Ask the Spirit to train your physical eyes to notice people the way Jesus does. • Regularly reread Luke 10:30-37 to reset perspective. Step Two: Let Compassion Begin in the Heart • “But when a Samaritan on a journey came upon him, he saw him and had compassion.” (Luke 10:33) • Pray daily that the Lord keeps your heart soft; hard hearts create Levite-like detours. • Memorize Colossians 3:12: “Clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Step Three: Move Toward the Need • Compassion grows through motion, not merely emotion. • Walk across the room, cross the street, send the message, make the call. • Keep the pattern of the Samaritan: he approached, bandaged, lifted, transported, paid. Step Four: Give Tangibly and Generously • 1 John 3:17: “If anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need but closes his heart against him, how can the love of God abide in him?” • Budget a “Samaritan margin” each month for spontaneous giving. • Offer practical help—meals, rides, childcare, bills—before waiting to be asked. Step Five: Practice Everyday Kindness at Home • Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.” • Speak gently, honor family schedules, notice quiet burdens. • Consistent domestic compassion prevents public hypocrisy. Step Six: Keep Mercy and Justice Together • Micah 6:8: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” • Support ministries that defend the vulnerable. • Vote, volunteer, and speak in ways that reflect God’s heart for the oppressed. Step Seven: Stay Anchored in Christ’s Love • Meditate on 1 John 4:10: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” • Remember the cross whenever weariness tempts you to pass by. • Abiding in His love fuels lasting compassion more than any human resolve. Putting It All Together Slow down, see people, feel what God feels, step in quickly, give generously, practice kindness at home, pursue justice, and keep looking at Jesus. These deliberate choices reverse the Levite’s indifference and cultivate everyday compassion that honors the Lord who loved us first. |
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