Jeremiah has been called “The prophet of the bleeding heart and the iron will,” and every child of God will need this combination of virtues if he is to do worthy service for his Master. As this prophet of God contemplated the pitiful condition of Israel brought about by its own sinful folly and repeated backslidings, he exclaimed: “O that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!” (Jer. 9:1). On another occasion, much discouraged by Israel’s rejection of his message, Jeremiah determined he would no longer prophecy to them the word of the Lord, but he had to confess: “His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay!” (Jer. 20:9). The book of Lamentations gives us an insight into the compassionate heart of this man of God.
This was true also of Paul, whose longing for the salvation of Israel led him to exclaim: “I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh” (Rom. 9:3). This compassion was shared by Timothy, of whom Paul could say: “Being mindful of thy tears” (2 Tim. 1:4). Paul urged on the Philippians: “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (2:1-2).
It is possible to carry on the work of the Lord from a mere formal sense of duty without the motivating force of the love of Christ. But such service brings neither joy to the servant nor blessing to those who are served. It is good to have a clear and intelligent grasp of the truth of God; but if this is not accompanied by a compassionate heart, moved by the love of Christ, it will avail little. To be all head and no heart is a miserable business. Let us mark well the words: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal” (see 1 Cor. 13:1-3).
This compassion for others is a proof that God’s love dwells within. John declared: “Whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” (1 Jn. 3:17). The love of God has been “shed abroad in our hearts,” to be spread abroad from our hearts to those for whom Christ died (Rom. 5:5). Notice how Christ rebuked the harsh and overbearing spirit of His disciples as they would have called down fire from heaven upon those who would not receive Him. He said to them: “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of” (Lk. 9:55).
Compassion was the spring of the good Samaritan’s service on behalf of that poor fellow, stripped, wounded and left half dead by the side of the Jericho highway (Lk. 10:33). It was the compassion of the father’s heart that caused him to run to meet the returning prodigal and hug him to his bosom (Lk. 15:20). Every servant of the Lord should be able to say with Paul: “For the love of Christ constraineth us” (2 Cor. 5:14).
It was this loving glow of compassion that led God to give His Son and that brought the Son of God from heaven to give His life a ransom for all (Jn. 3:16; Gal. 2:20). Time and time again, it is recorded in the Gospels that Jesus “had compassion” on the people. He had compassion on the blind in their darkness (Mt. 20:34); on the lepers in their uncleanness (Mk. 1:41); on the sick in their weakness (Mt. 14:14); on the hungry in their need (Mt. 15:32); and on the friendless in their loneliness (Mk. 6:34). Truly, “His compassions fail not” (Lam. 3:22).
It is said of our Lord that “having loved His own… He loved them unto the end” (Jn. 13:1). He gladly laid down His life in order to make good in them what His love had planned for them. May it be ours to have both the iron will and the loving heart, and thus know by experience the fervent glow of His compassion that shall send us about our Master’s business and be the constraining motive of a life of devotion to Him.
Written by A. P. Gibbs