A Heart Enlarged

“A heart enlarged by compassion has never yet killed anyone.”

Many, many hearts have been enlarged by compassion in recent days in the aftermath of the
deadly flooding in Texas. Accounts of children being suddenly swept away to their untimely
deaths and of adults selflessly giving their own lives while trying to save the young, grip our
hearts. Who is not moved to their depths by the mental picture of two young girls – sisters —
found deceased with their hands inseparably clasped together in love’s desperation?

Sadly, some have shown no compassion whether publicly or privately in their own thoughts.
Instead, some have callously taken such tragedy as political opportunity to try to stir disunity,
showing no concern for those lost or for the mourning families and community members. Such
lack of compassion will not prove to be life giving. Solomon wrote, “Whoever shuts his ears to
the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard” (Proverbs 21:13). A heart shut to
having compassion will not receive it in return.

God’s compassion never fails. “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because
His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness”
(Lamentations 3:22–23). The laments surrounding these two verses vividly describe the
destruction and anguish of Jerusalem falling and of the inhabitants exiled. Even though, in this
case, Judah brought it on herself, God’s compassions would not fail. His compassion is faithful
and new every single day. That is the example that we seek to emulate.

The Apostle Paul expressed his compassion for physical Israel this way, “…that I have great
sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ
for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh” (Romans 9:2–3). He so much wanted
his countrymen to cease in their rejection of Christ who had come through their own lineage.
That compassion undoubtedly drove Paul to do everything he possibly could to assist the
unbelieving.

The same holds true for all of us today. Paul describes one of the ways our compassion is to
be expressed among ourselves. “We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of
the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading
to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of
those who reproached You fell on Me’” (Romans 15:1–3). Through compassion, those strong in the faith will bear patiently and kindly with the weak. They will please the weaker with
whatever avenue of communication is best to strengthen them spiritually.

We are all well acquainted with the acute distress we feel wherever compassion is lacking. So
let us enlarge our hearts toward one another and help breathe life into the body of Christ.

Marshall Stiver