The Compassion of Christ

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. —Matthew 9:36

I find myself often struggling with a lack of compassion toward those I care about. What I find in my heart instead is hardness and cynicism.

Rather than looking at my own sin and getting discouraged, I can turn my gaze to Christ. His compassion is one of the characteristics repeated over and over in the Gospels. Matthew 9:35–37 is particularly powerful in regard to loving others.

In this passage, we see all types of people who were part of that crowd. There were the sick, like the paralytic, the blind, and the woman with the issue of blood. Christ also interacted with Pharisees (v. 11), people who mocked Him (v. 24), and others who doubted His power (v. 3). None of these groups were easygoing people.

When we see people like this, our hearts tend to want to turn away. But the Lord’s heart suffers with those who suffer (even those most difficult to love and who did not want Him close). That is compassion.