10 Verses That Remind Us to Show Compassion

What to do! What to do! What to do!

Then you find yourself disagreeing with people on the subject of teaching sex to children, and you truly ponder, how on Earth do we have a civil discussion?

Where do we draw the line? And if a line is drawn, doesn't that prevent us from sharing the gospel with those who need the Word the most?

Remember Compassion

Questions abound, and I’ll tell you, I don’t have all the answers. Believe me, having conversations with people we disagree with isn’t always easy. Add that to an atmosphere of intense political division, emotional sensitivity, and a lack of shared values, and you have a recipe for disaster.

That’s where we are today. Yet, no matter how much America changes, Christians still have an obligation to follow Scripture. God hasn’t changed (Hebrews 13:8). Therefore, His commandments have not either.

We are called to do a number of things, including love our neighbor, help other people grow, and share the gospel.

Without some compassion, accomplishing these tasks will prove impossible. There are a few strategies to try if that’s what you’re trying to learn, but the focus of this article is on reminding yourself to take up compassion when you want to take up arms.

Place these verses on a bathroom mirror, the back of your door, or save them to your phone. As society continues its fall from God, you’re going to need these reminders eventually.

Here are 10 verses that remind us to show compassion.

10 Verses That Remind Us to Show Compassion

1. “Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)

When two like-minded people get together, magic happens. Marriages form, friendships build, and one person edifies the other. When you look across the political aisle today, you’re bound to see people vastly different from you. Vastly different.

How do they look when you see them as God’s creation?

There are plenty of differences we can find with one another. However, if we can hone in on similarities, we can start to build a relationship. And with a relationship, we can serve as a positive influence for one another.

2. “Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:42)

How quickly do you share what you have with those in need? My answer honestly depends on the item being shared and the recipient. The fear – someone could try to take advantage of me. And sometimes I just don’t want to help someone I dislike.

Scripture is not telling us to give away all we own to the next person who asks. Rather, the Bible wants us to understand the importance of being attached to God, not our earthly things. If someone’s in need, we should help them. Even if you’re a top-notch conservative and they’re a top-notch liberal, or the other way around.

3. “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Most of us can attest to the fact that sometimes forgiveness is hard. Then there are some of us who find forgiveness near impossible. Imagine being the parent of a child who makes a decision that you strongly disagree with, and your former spouse agrees, leading your child without your consent. How do you forgive someone in this circumstance? In these moments, we have to pray to God for that sort of grace.

4. “Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

Sometimes we present the truth to our loved ones, but they don’t change. As the adage goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. When we experience this in our marriages, friendships, and workplaces, the conflict can cause huge disruptions. What’s important to remember is just as God works with us through our own ignorance and shortcomings, we should strive to do the same for others.

5. “If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him—how does God’s love reside in him?” (1 John 3:17)

The church is supposed to be a family, brothers and sisters in Christ. Though, I admit to often not seeing fellow Christians in this way when they espouse politics that differ from my own. If someone’s in need and requires help, I would be sinning against them and against God, because I’m going against His Word. Instead, maybe the best course of action is to table our passions for the moment and help a brother or sister out.

6. “Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” (Colossians 3:12)

When we clothe ourselves in virtues like compassion, we commit to living in a godly fashion in all aspects of our lives. Achieving this sort of lifestyle sounds rather ideal, but is in fact possible. With God guiding us, using the support of others, and pushing ourselves, we can grow. We may not be very compassionate today, but can become such with practice.

7. “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a difficult time.” (Proverbs 17:17)

This quote emphasizes that there exists a friend who sticks closer than a brother. When we find such relationships, we shouldn’t rush to throw them away because of differences. Just like we are refined through trials. Our relationships can experience the same, but not if we lack compassion for the other person.

8. “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:15)

If there were a verse to define the word compassion, this would be the one. Part of the reason we need to show compassion for those who disagree with us, for one, is because we could be wrong about a particular topic. But let’s say we’re correct and we know we’re right. Showing compassion communicates to the other person that once they realize their mistake, they can seek us out for reconciliation. While our instinct may be, “They get what they asked for,” we should recall that God could treat us the same but has not. He forgives and chooses to be near the broken-hearted, some of whom are broken-hearted because of their own sin.

9. “Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)

This verse offers us a great measure of what compassion we ought to give. We need only ask ourselves what kind and how much compassion we would want others to give us if we were in their situation.

Giving someone “tough love” is not necessarily wrong or un-Christian. Just be sure that if the roles were reversed you would be okay with the same treatment.

10. “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

Compassion in its deepest form is shown in this verse. Today many of us find ourselves at odds with the other side. But interestingly, if we change up the dynamic a bit, comparing the sinful to the sinless, there’s Jesus and then there’s us. He died for all of us, even those who despised Him.

Now, I’m not considering anyone dying for anyone else. That’s not my call! What I would like to suggest is that considering someone else’s life and existence as valuable shapes how you treat them.

Conclusion

Compassion, to suffer alongside another. Today, we may want to make people suffer more so than suffer alongside them. That’s natural and understandable considering how political our society has become. As Christians though, we do not have to participate in mainstream culture. We can and should be different, following not the tenets of the mainstream, but the edicts of Scripture.

Our world will continue to change, but God remains the same. So, our reasons for compassion last another day.

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Rawpixel 

Aaron D'Anthony Brown is a freelance writer, hip-hop dance teacher, and visual artist, living in Virginia. He currently contributes work to iBelieve, Crosswalk, and supports various clients through the platform Upwork. He's an outside-the-box thinker with a penchant for challenging the status quo. Check out his short story “Serenity.”