But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw
him, he had compassion.{Luke 10;33}

Sympathy; A relationship between individuals in which whatever affects one
affects the other in a similar way .A mutual affection or understanding.
The capacity to share another’s feelings .A feeling or expression of sorrow
for another’s distress or loss .Pity; compassion {Webster}

Recently I read a sermon by Dwight L. Moody regarding The Good Samaritan .He
said Christians lacked sympathy .He explained that having pity on someone is
not sufficient .To feel sorry for someone is not sufficient .But to sympathize
with someone ,having compassion will result in action .To share in another’s
feelings will result in doing something about it .Putting yourself in their
places ,and to imagine yourself how they feel and what they feel will result in
you looking upon them with sympathy .Then getting below them and raising them up
,this is Christian service .
We should put ourselves in the places of others .If you want to get sympathy
,put yourself into a another man’s place .We need Christians who are full of
compassion and sympathy .Only this will reach souls for Christ .Christianity is
doing and showing not just knowing .Many have a knowledge of God and go to
church regularly ,but seldom do anything for others unless it in someway
benefits them .

Listening to someone’s problems and spending quality time listening to them ,
and imagining yourself in their shoes or place is sympathy .Now I understand the
ministry of listening and giving kindly words to a hurting soul .Some people
just need your time to listen .Others need your help with a ride to church
.Others a meal ,and a loving hug and company .Others need a kind loving word ,or
encouragement .But this takes effort on your part to get your thoughts off
yourself but on somebody else’s life or problems .
Have you ever had a tear in your eye because of another person’s sorrow or
plight or condition? If so , God was speaking to you and you have entered into
sympathy .If not pray for sympathy and compassion .
We are selfish by nature and must stir up godly actions and prayerfully ask
God for sympathy and to see the crowds and the human condition .Spend time
looking at someone and then put yourself in their place or shoes and acknowledge
your feelings, ponder them .Ask yourself how they are feeling .And then respond
by asking God to show you what to say or do .
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider
others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own
interests, but also to the interests of others.{Philippians 2;3-4}
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.{James
1;22}
Again the world wants to see that you care before they will ever listen to you
.They rarely see a man or woman who truly cares and shows sympathy and
compassion .
You must bow beneath them ,humble yourself and come from a position of feeling
what they feel showing sympathy ,overlooking all their faults and then raising
them up to Jesus Christ .This my friends is true evangelism .For only he, Jesus
,can make them whole again ...............Devotion By Fabian


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