And He Was Moved With Compassion

 A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her.

Luke 7:12 

 

Picture it.....Jesus, and those following Him, were on their way to a village called Nain.  Coming out of the village was a funeral procession.  In those days, it was hard enough being a widow with a son to take care of you, but to be a widow with no one to care for you meant your life would be immeasurably more difficult.  At the back of this procession was a widow who was having to bury her only son.  This meant this evening would be a meal for one...a conversation for one...an empty home...a hole in her heart...and more tears than could ever be counted. I can almost guarantee part of her was wondering if she would ever be able to survive such a loss.  

I wish I could say this was an isolated incident, but I have seen far too many people face such a loss of a loved one and give up.  They stop living and just exist.  They no longer have any joy.  They wonder how they will be able to continue without their loved one.  I have sat with too many who have looked me in the face and asked, "What will I do now?" I also understand that chances are whatever I say in that moment will never be heard, so I rely on Romans 12:15, where Paul tells us to "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."  

Having compassion for others will move us to reach out to them.  That's what happened when Jesus saw the procession, "When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion" (Luke 7:13).  Jesus' heart went out to this widow.  What did He do to help comfort her?  First, Jesus told her "Don't cry."  I'll bet she had heard those words before from well meaning people.  I'll wager in her heart she was screaming "How DARE you! You have NO IDEA what I am feeling!"  But Jesus didn't just say words to her, He went a step further and let His compassion move Him into action!  Jesus touched the coffin, told the boy to wake up, and then He gave the boy back to his mother!

Now I don't have the ability to raise the dead, but I do have the ability to let my compassion lead me to action!  How about you?