How can we show compassion to others in challenging situations, like in Exodus 2:6? Setting the scene Pharaoh’s decree demanded every Hebrew boy be thrown into the Nile. Jochebed placed her three-month-old son in a papyrus basket among the reeds. Pharaoh’s daughter—an Egyptian princess raised in privilege—walked to the river, discovered the basket, and encountered a crying infant she had every cultural reason to reject. Compassion on display in Exodus 2:6 “When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the little boy was crying. She felt sorry for him and said, ‘This is one of the Hebrew children!’” Key movements: • She looked closely—she did not ignore the basket. • She listened—the baby’s cry reached her heart. • She felt—“she felt sorry for him.” The Hebrew word speaks of deep mercy. • She spoke up—acknowledging the child’s identity rather than pretending ignorance. • She acted—taking steps that would ultimately spare the child and provide a home. Core elements of God-honoring compassion • Awareness: Keep eyes and ears open to distress around you. • Emotion: Allow the Spirit to move your heart rather than harden it (Ezekiel 36:26). • Identification: Recognize the image of God in every person, even those outside your circle. • Action: Move from feeling to tangible help (James 2:15-16). • Risk: Accept personal cost—social, financial, or emotional—to defend the vulnerable. Practical ways to mirror this compassion today • Slow down long enough to notice silent “cries”—look beyond surface appearances. • Lend your voice: speak up for the unborn, the trafficked, the forgotten (Proverbs 31:8-9). • Meet immediate needs: meals, clothing, shelter, medical costs—whatever matches the moment. • Cross cultural lines: serve immigrants, refugees, and those of different backgrounds without prejudice. • Foster or adopt: rescue modern “Moseses” who need family. • Offer presence: sit with the grieving, visit the hospitalized, listen without hurrying solutions. • Partner with trusted ministries that champion the defenseless. • Engage lawmakers and community leaders to secure justice for the oppressed. Other scriptural portraits of compassion • Luke 10:33-34—The Samaritan “had compassion… bandaged his wounds.” • Matthew 14:14—Jesus “had compassion on them and healed their sick.” • Colossians 3:12—“Clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion…” • 1 John 3:17—“If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no empathy for him, how can the love of God remain in him?” • 2 Corinthians 1:3-4—God comforts us “so that we can comfort those in any trouble.” Motivation rooted in Christ We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). The greater Moses—Jesus—was spared in infancy, suffered for us in adulthood, and now indwells believers. His compassion flows through yielded hearts. Putting it into practice this week • Ask the Lord each morning to make you attentive to one specific need you can meet. • Carry gift cards, water, or hygiene kits to give on the spot. • Volunteer a few hours at a crisis-pregnancy center, homeless shelter, or nursing home. • Write an encouraging note or deliver a meal to someone burdened by illness or loss. • Review your budget and designate a portion for mercy ministries. • Share a gospel-centered reason for your compassion when opportunities arise (1 Peter 3:15). As Pharaoh’s daughter demonstrated, compassion begins with seeing, grows through feeling, and culminates in courageous action. Let that same pattern guide every encounter, so that Christ’s mercy shines brightly in a hurting world. |
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