AUGUST 8, 2012
Winners
And Losers
Read: 1 Peter 3:8-12
In
lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. —Philippians 2:3
As the NFL playoff game ended and the Green Bay Packers
celebrated their victory over the Chicago Bears, my daughter
Lisa noticed that
her little girl, 4-year-old Eliana, was crying.
That seemed odd, since neither
of Eliana’s parents particularly
cared who won the game.
When Lisa asked Eliana why she was crying, she said, “I
feel
sorry for the Bears. They look so sad.”
Can we learn something from a preschooler about
compassion?
In a world where winning is so important and losers get rejected,
forgotten, and maligned, we need this reminder: People need
compassion. When we
see others struggling with a loss are we
willing to shed tears with them, put
our arms around them, and
offer to help?
A number of scripture passages challenge us to treat
others
with compassion. Philippians 2:1-3 tells us to think of others
above
ourselves, looking out for their interests—not just ours.
First Peter 3:8-12
reminds us that compassion means treating
others “as brothers,” and Colossians
3:12-15 says that mercy,
kindness, and humility are marks of those God has
redeemed.
Look around you. See anyone going through a difficult
loss? Go
beyond feeling bad for them. Reach out with compassion and God’s love.
Lord, grant me a
heart of compassion
So burdened for
others’ needs,
That I will show
them Your mercy
In attitudes,
words, and deeds. —Fitzhugh
One
measure of our likeness to Christ is our sensitivity to
the suffering of
others.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 20
