Paul wrote to the Colossians:

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness (Colossians 2:6-7).

Overflowing with thankfulness—that’s our goal if we have received Christ Jesus as our Lord and are continuing to grow in our faith. In other words, thankfulness is supposed to be a trademark of a Christian.

Now, ask yourself this question: Would people who know you well—who are around you often and see you in real-life environments regularly—describe you as a thankful person? Do you overflow with thankfulness? If something is overflowing, people would notice, don’t you think?

This is a characteristic I’ve been trying to cultivate more and more in my life because I want to be thankful for all my many, many blessings. But also, because being thankful is a major stress buster! I’m not kidding; one of the best things you can do to reduce your stress, lower your blood pressure, and lengthen your life is to practice thankfulness.

Notice I said, “practice thankfulness.” You see, it’s really easy to get caught up in complaining because that’s what we hear around us quite often. Don’t you hear a good bit of griping and complaining where you work or even in your home? Well, you might have caught that disease without realizing it. So, you need to practice thankfulness.

Ephesians 5:19b-20 says: Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And in First Thessalonians 5:18 we’re told to give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Seems to me we have to find ways to remind ourselves to overflow with thankfulness. If you want to play the piano, you have to practice. If you want to dunk a basketball, you have to practice. Well, if you want to overflow with thankfulness, I think you have to practice that, too.

Here are some suggestions to help you do that.

1. Put a sign on your desk or refrigerator or your screen saver that says, “Overflow with thankfulness today.” I think we just sometimes need simple reminders. It sure won’t hurt.
2. Put on thankfulness each morning before you leave home. Colossians 3:12-15 gives us a list of garments we should put on each day as God’s chosen people, and at the end of this list we read: And be thankful. So, while you’re buttoning your shirt or putting on your shoes, just make a little ritual each day of saying, “And I’m also putting on thankfulness to wear all day today.”
3. Do the thankful alphabet. Start with A and go through Z, naming something starting with each letter for which you are thankful. You can have some fun with this; it’s a great game to play in the car with your kids and you’ll be teaching them to practice thankfulness. Just start and see how far you can get: A: I’m thankful for apples. B: I’m thankful for C: I’m thankful for cousins. D: I’m thankful for my dad. E: I’m thankful for Elizabeth, my friend. F: I’m thankful for football! And on you go. It’s fun, it’s uplifting, and it fills your heart with thanks. In fact, a fun idea might be to make a deck of alphabet thankful cards, which you can use at home or church or even on the job.
4. Make every Tuesday a Thankful Tuesday or each Thursday a Thankful Thursday. You can share this with your family or your coworkers and have some fun with it, and it will teach the joy of practicing thankfulness. On that day be very intentional about expressing what you have to be thankful for, perhaps as the family gathers for a meal, or in a casual conversation with coworkers. Remind others that it’s Thankful Tuesday or Thursday and encourage them to recite what they have to be thankful for. You’ll be surprised how others will be willing to join in with you if you’ll just get it started.
5. Sing songs of thanksgiving. You could sing “Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart” for example. The Bible says to sing and make music in your heart to the Lord. Go for it.
6. Think about where you’d be without Jesus. That will make you thankful. There’s a song I like by Stephen Curtis Chapman entitled “Remember Your Chains.” The chorus says:

Remember your chains. Remember the prison that once held you

Before the love of God broke through.

Remember the place you were without grace.

And when you see where you are now,

Remember your chains, and remember your chains are gone.

For me, nothing makes me overflow with thankfulness like remembering what Jesus has done in my life and hearing what he has done in the lives of others. When you’re together with other believers, just start telling your stories of what God has done in your life. We always overflow with thankfulness when we remember where we were before we met Jesus.

1. Begin every prayer time with thanksgiving. Probably the most famous Psalm—Psalm 100—tells us to: Enter the gates of the Lord with thanksgiving and enter his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Whenever you enter the presence of God, always enter with thanksgiving. Make the first words out of your mouth words of thankfulness.

I have found this changes my prayer time. If I begin with all my needs and requests, I am self-focused. If I begin with thanksgiving—reciting some of the many things I have to be thankful for—I am God-focused. What a difference that makes in my time spent with God and that, in turn, makes a difference in my day. I begin to truly overflow with thankfulness.

When Jesus taught the disciples how to pray, in what we call the Lord’s Prayer, it begins with Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. It begins with praise and thanksgiving. Our prayers should begin with thankfulness.

Knowing God’s Word and reading it regularly are essential if we are to overflow with thankfulness. But you know, I’ve seen people who knew God’s Word rather well and could pray real good in church, but I could not say they overflowed with thankfulness. Thankfulness is an attitude you choose; it is a decision you make.

I do believe this, with all my heart: If you learn to practice thankfulness, people will notice. They’ll notice your joyful spirit; they’ll notice your words of thanks; they’ll notice the smile on your face and the bounce in your step. You look different when you overflow with thankfulness. It softens the lines in your face; makes you look younger and gives a gentleness to your words.

If you look at the sacrifices that are a part of the Mosaic law given by God, you’ll discover there were many sacrifices of thanksgiving. This was a ritual God put in place to remind his people they were to be thankful people. We’re no longer under the law, but we still need to be reminded to be thankful.

Did you ever think about the power that is released when you become a thankful person? Let me tell you some of the great things that will happen:

• People will like you much better. Thankful people are nice to be around. Your relationships will improve. You’ll have more friends.
• Your energy level will go up. It’s true, because when you’re thankful, you unleash a lot of good energy that is often wasted on complaining and negativism. You will do more work in less time. And that’s going to make you a better employee, which will make your boss happy! I won’t go so far as to say you’ll get a raise, but then again, who knows?
• Your stress will go down. I’m really not making this up. When you are choosing to be  thankful, you are thinking about the good things in your life, and that keeps you from focusing on the negative things. It’s like a release valve on a pressure cooker—you will see your stress go down.
• Your face will be prettier—or more handsome, whichever you prefer! Think about it—when you are thankful, you’re not worried or fretting, and those things cause lines in our faces and age us! You’ll look younger!
• Your posture will improve. When you’re thankful, you stand up straighter. When you’re negative, your shoulders tend to stoop and your back curves.

There’s power in thankfulness. You have much to gain. But way above and beyond all of these, here’s the most important reason to be thankful:

• You will honor and glorify Jesus Christ as he deserves. When you overflow with thankfulness, you tell the world what Jesus has done for you, and you are a good ambassador for him. Not to mention, it pleases him to see your thankful heart.

Let’s start a campaign to overflow with thankfulness. What a way to live!

Instead of feeling guilty because you don’t like certain people, acknowledge they are not likable to you, but agree with God that you are willing to love them. Love them with his kind of love—agape love—which is an action, not necessarily a feeling.

It always helps to remember we’re often unlikable to God, yet he never stops loving us. And it is that kind of love that should overflow from our lives to others. When that happens—when others can see we can love people who are not likable—we will have one of the strongest witnesses of God’s grace we can ever have. You know if you can learn to love people you don’t like, it has to be a miracle right from God. And that miracle in your life can cause others to be thirsty for the eternal water Jesus offers, which they see demonstrated in your life.

Here’s my suggestion: Make a plan to love those people you don’t like. Make a list of the people you find it difficult to like. Include what it is about them that makes them unlikable to you. Then, choose one unlikable person per week to focus on. Pray for that specific person each day of that week. Pray for the things you see in their lives that make them so unlikable. Pray God will help you to see and understand them the way he does. Pray for God’s love to overflow from you to that person in some specific way sometime during the week.

If you will focus on one person per week and keep going through that list, what you’ll discover is God can even change your feelings toward them. But regardless, you will be showing love to those unlikable people, and the changes you will see in yourself will astound you.

When you start learning to love them, they no longer can get to you like they used to. Oh, they may still have irritating habits and personalities, but they just will not bug you like before. It’s amazing how that happens. You realize, “Wow, I’m free from that awful dread of seeing them coming or having to deal with them, because even though I don’t really like them, I really do love them the way Jesus does.”

I’m examining loving people we don’t really like so much. And we’ve seen God’s kind of love—agape love—is not based on feelings, but it is an action. Our job is to learn to act in loving ways toward people, even the ones we don’t like.

A prerequisite to developing love actions toward unlikable people is to pray for them. Sincerely, regularly pray for their welfare. Ask God to show you what love actions to take toward them. And pray for them. . . a lot! Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies, and those who despitefully use us.

Then, as you think about a certain person you don’t like, decide which love actions would be appropriate for that person. Maybe it’s a lot of patience? Or compassion or endurance? Then set your will to act with those love actions toward that person.

A good friend shared how God put her in a job with people she just didn’t like very much. She applied for a promotion, looking forward to moving away from those people. The selection process narrowed down to her and one other person, but she didn’t get the job. And at first, she was angry at not being selected, until she realized God had left her in that job to learn how to love those people she didn’t like.

She began what she called Project Love, and she looked for ways to develop relationships with those unlikable people. Her method was to invite them to have lunch with her, one per week. And she began to build bridges to these people and develop relationships with them. Of course, in doing that, she discovered they had burdens and problems, and they discovered she was a caring person. A few months later, she got that promotion she wanted, but she continues to keep in touch with those unlikable people she has now learned to love—and indeed to like, too. Several of them have turned to her for help in troubled times.

What a good idea—Project Love. Maybe you could start to find ways to reach out to those unlikable people with the love of Jesus Christ that is within you. What miracles we could see in our relationships if we’d do this more and more.

Do you have any people in your life right now you just don’t like very much? Chances are you do. Yes, even Christians have to admit we run into people who just rub us the wrong way. The question I’m addressing is: how can I love the people I don’t like?

God hasn’t told us to like everyone. There are people we simply cannot admire or enjoy. But Scripture gives us many directives to love others. We’ve seen God’s kind of love—agape love—is not dependent on our feelings. Love is an action, not a feeling.

Well, if love is an action, what actions then are love actions? First Corinthians 13 is a good place to look for a list of love actions. They include:

Patience: When you act with patience toward someone, you are loving him or her. Keep in mind love is not a feeling, so we don’t have to feel patient. Can you remember acting with patience even when you did not feel patient? That is agape love.

Kindness: When you feel like saying something sarcastic or cutting or angry, but instead you say something kind, that is a love action.

Not Jealous: When you refuse to behave jealously or possessively, you are showing love.

Has Good Manners: Just plain courtesy is a love action. How often we forget good manners, like not interrupting others when they’re talking, letting others go ahead of us, etc. Those are love actions.

Unselfish: Agape love acts in an unselfish manner, without pursuing selfish advantage or trampling over others in trying to get where you want to get. Remember, don’t wait to feel unselfish; show your love by acting unselfishly.

Endurance: When other people have given up and left, agape love will still be there, hanging in with someone. It will endure all things. It will keep listening to someone, even when you think you cannot listen to another word.

These are just a few of the many love actions available to us. And we can demonstrate these attitudes and actions toward people, whether we like them or not, by God’s grace. Ask God to help you today to show love through your actions, even to that person you don’t really like very much. Don’t feel guilty about not liking them, just act toward them in loving ways, and watch what happens.

Aren’t you glad God’s love for us is not based on how he feels about us? He may be, and I’m sure often is, very displeased with us as individuals, yet his love and goodness toward us are constant. That encourages me, because it means God does not require me to have good feelings toward everyone, and like you, I’ve discovered there are people I just don’t like.

You don’t have to like someone to love them. Webster defines like as to “feel an attraction, tenderness or affection for” someone. We say “I like you because…” and then list the things we like about the person.

But agape love says, “I love you in spite of…”—in spite of the things about you I may not like. We don’t have to feel guilty about not liking everyone. It’s okay! But we are commanded to love others.

Write it on a piece of paper and tape it to your mirror, your desk, over your sink, on your screen saver—wherever you will see it often: Love is not a feeling, love is an action!

I’m sure there were people Jesus did not like. Ever read what he said to the religious hypocrites of his day? Pretty direct. I don’t think he liked them very much at all. But I know he loved them, because he died for them. Love is not a feeling; love is an action. This is our responsibility—to love others, whether we like them or not.

Paul said in his letter to the Romans the Holy Spirit, who was given to us, has poured out the love of God within our hearts (Romans 5:5). Think about God’s love for you. John wrote: To us, the greatest demonstration of God’s love for us has been his sending his only Son into the world to give us life through him. We see real love, not in the fact that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to make personal atonement for our sins.

And remember, God loves those people you don’t like just as much as he loves you. Let God’s love pour all over you and fill you. Remember how he loves you, even when you’re not very lovable. That’s the beginning of learning how to love other people, even the ones you don’t like so much.

Are there people in your life you really don’t like? We run into these people on our jobs quite often. I’m examining how to love the people you don’t like.

Yes, even Christians are allowed to have people in their lives they do not like. I know of no scriptural directive that commands us to like everyone. But I know many verses that tell us to love other people. Here are just two of many:

And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister (1 John 4:21).

Jesus said:

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them (Luke 6:32).

It’s clear as Christians we are to love people—all people, yes, even the people we work with. But what about those unlikable people? Since we cannot like them, we usually conclude we cannot love them either. Don’t we have to like people before we can love them? How can we love someone we don’t like?

Part of the problem is we misunderstand the word love. The kind of love you need to love people you don’t like is God’s kind of love. Now, this love is not necessarily a feeling. Though you may experience nice feelings, agape love does not depend on how you feel.

Agape love, God’s kind of love, is an action. The Bible tells us we know God loves us because he sent his Son into the world to redeem us. We know Jesus loves us because he gave his life. And God says he will know we love him if we keep his commandments. God’s kind of love is an action, not a feeling.

Now, that really is good news, because it tells me I can love people toward whom I do not necessarily have good feelings. I can love people toward whom I have no feelings at all. Think: Who are the people you will be dealing with today or tomorrow whom you really don’t like? Will you ask God to help you understand how to love them, even though you don’t like them?

Presented by Lisa Bishop

Several years ago, someone said something that left a deep impression on me. “Treat everyone as if their heart is breaking because it probably is.” Now, that may sound strange but let me explain. We know to be human is to experience suffering. No one on the planet will go through life without some form of hardship, heartache, loss, pain, or disappointment. We all will experience seasons of suffering; there’s no escaping it. You most likely have already experienced your own version of suffering, and everyone you come into contact with, if they haven’t already, will too. And that is the sentiment behind the thought, “Treat everyone as if their heart were breaking, because it probably is” … or has or will at some future time. So be mindful that there’s often more going on with people than meets the eye.

You and I are acutely aware of our heartaches, yet we can often miss the clues when people around us are experiencing their own form of hardship. I’ve learned that suffering can wear many faces. It can express itself through anger, addiction, inflicting pain on others, outbursts, depression, anxiety, and pride, which can be an unconscious defense against vulnerability and the hidden pain of shame.

I don’t like to admit it, but I can find myself getting impatient when people act out or do not behave the way that I think they “should.” It can be easier to turn to judgment rather than curiosity. What I mean is that we can be prone to making judgments about a person’s behavior rather than taking the time to understand the underlying issues that may be driving it.

In his book, A Grief Observed, a collection of reflections on his experience of heartache following the death of his wife, theologian C.S. Lewis writes, “I sat with anger long enough until she told me her real name was grief.” [1]

Isn’t that such a deep and profound insight?

When we witness a co-worker’s outburst or a friend’s off-putting behavior, are we quick to distance ourselves or to come alongside to see what grief, pain, or disappointment they may be hiding behind? While the customs of the world teach us to criticize and condemn when people act that way, you and I, as image bearers of Jesus, are called to a higher way.

In his letter to the church in Colasse, the Apostle Paul gave a clear call to followers of Jesus. As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, along with kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12).

The definition of compassion is, “The deep awareness of the suffering of another accompanied by the desire to relieve it.”

To clothe yourself is to intentionally put on compassion and let it drive your heart and your actions.

Compassion goes beyond empathy. Empathy is about putting yourself in someone else’s position and feeling what they might feel in a situation. Empathy is a necessary emotion and something we should regularly make a habit of. Empathy takes time to listen to others, deeply listen, without judgment or agenda.

When you listen empathically to someone you are not trying to fix them or give them advice; you have a heart posture to truly seek to understand, be present, and listen in a way that the person feels heard and valued.

Compassion takes empathy a step further. Compassion is about recognizing someone’s emotions and wanting to help them. It’s “empathy in action.” More than words or sentiments, compassion not only listens, but it also responds in a way that desires to come alongside and lend a helping hand.

We know compassion is a characteristic of God. As his image bearers, Jesus has given us the ability to feel compassion and be moved by it to act on behalf of others. We see the compassion of the Lord on display throughout the Old Testament as well as numerous stories of the compassion of Jesus in the New Testament.

In the gospel of Luke, an expert of religious law asked Jesus:

What must I do to inherit eternal life?

Jesus responds by asking him, What is written in the Law? How do you read it?

The expert of the law answered, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself. 

Jesus said, You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.

The expert of the law replied, Who is my neighbor? In essence he was asking who and how do I need to love? And Jesus responds with the parable of the Good Samaritan.

A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance, a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him (Luke 10:25-34).

Now we may not come across someone beaten down in the road. But is there someone in your workplace who is dismissed and discarded? Someone feeling a bit beat up by their circumstances in life. How can you come alongside them, befriend them, and advocate for them? Compassion sees those who are looked over and responds. Compassion is God’s love in action.

Another example is told in the gospel of Matthew.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’ (Matthew 9:35-38)

As Jesus encountered the depth of human need, he was moved to compassion for people. He wasn’t too busy or consumed; he didn’t overlook the face of people’s problems.

How often do we find ourselves hunkered down at work, overwhelmed with our to-do list rather than recognizing the needs of others in our midst? As Jesus was moved to action, we also see him calling his followers to have compassion too, and that applies to me and you.

The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few (Matthew 9:37). Jesus saw the greatness of human need as a beautiful opportunity to be met with the good news of the gospel. The crowds were harassed and helpless, like a sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36). They were misguided by false religions and worldly customs much like multitudes of people today who follow voices that are void of hope and lead them astray. As Christ-followers, we are to do all we can to help guide people toward a better way.

Jesus’ compassion looked like coming alongside the crowds, teaching them, sharing a message of hope, and loving them. We can come alongside others with compassion and kindness and love them without condition too. This is not always easy to do, especially with those we find a bit more challenging to love. But when we see the value and dignity in everyone, we’ll take the road less traveled and choose compassion and care over criticism and condemnation.

Proximity can help with seeing people’s humanity. When we take intentional time to get to know people, we will find that everybody has challenges they’re trying to overcome, and this will cultivate empathy which can lead to compassion. It will take time and consistency in our relationships.

The Lord has put people in your path for a reason. He has uniquely positioned you in your workplace. Whether you are there for 5 months or 15 years he has placed you with the people in your organization and on your team with a purpose. How well do you know the people around you? And not just those who are like you!

In our hybrid work environments, it can be more challenging to connect with our coworkers. You don’t have the same ease of casual conversations that can lead to greater connection. It may take some extra effort on your part but remember, you have the privilege of being called a laborer for Christ.

The harvest is plenty…. The number of people who do not yet know Jesus is vast. “The workers,” those who are willing to share the good news and life-transforming power of a relationship with Jesus, are few. To faithfully fulfill that calling, we need to consider, “Am I living in a way that puts the glory of God on display?”

With your actions, words, behavior, and demeanor. The way you handle upsets and disagreements. The manner with which you do your work. The way you lead and treat those who report to you. Giving credit to others rather than taking the spotlight only for you. These are all ways you build credibility so when the opportunity to share your faith is presented to you (and it will be because God does not waste opportunities) you will be a believable witness to the life-changing power of the gospel of Jesus Christ working in you.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking about living a perfect life. We can make mistakes and still be a credible witness for Jesus when we humbly admit we are wrong, acknowledge our shortcomings, commit to improve, and live with integrity.

Which brings me to another thought. To give compassion, we need to receive compassion.

Do you know God has infinite compassion towards you?

Psalm 103:8 says, The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

The compassion of God overflows to you. When you experience upsets, defeats, or depression, God is near to you.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Jesus showed compassion to sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes, and the destitute. The simple fact of being human, born with value and dignity, dictates we all deserve compassion.

So here are some practical ways that we can show compassion.

Listen Actively: Often, people need a listening ear more than anything else. By being present and listening without judgment, you show you care deeply about their feelings and experiences. 

Offer Help: Look for practical ways to assist someone and meet a need. Whether it’s helping a coworker on a work assignment, buying groceries for someone who is grieving, or offering to sit with someone at a doctor’s appointment, there are numerous ways to lend a helping hand and show you care.

Pray for Others: Prayer is a powerful tool for compassion. It not only shows your concern but also invites God’s intervention in people’s lives.

Show Kindness: Small acts of kindness, like a smile, a kind word, or a warm gesture, can have a profound impact on those around us. My neighbor’s mom passed away, and although I knew there was nothing I could do to take away the pain, I baked him a loaf of sourdough bread and left it on his doorstep. He sent me a text saying, “Thank you so much. I love sourdough bread.” Simple acts can brighten someone’s day and make them feel seen and valued.

Who in your life might be in need of compassion right now?
What specific action can you take this week to show compassion to them?

1 John 3:18 reminds us: Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Jesus gives us opportunities to meet human needs and bring people into his kingdom by showing love and compassion. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to see the needs around us and give us the courage and wisdom to respond.

[1] Lewis, C. S. (2001). A Grief Observed, C.S. Lewis. HarperCollins Publishers.

Presented by Lisa Bishop

Today let’s examine community.

Are you a part of a Christian community? Specifically, do you regularly attend a local church? If not, you could be missing out on growing in compassion.

The writer of Hebrews encourages community when he says,

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Community is vital to your spiritual journey. It provides the support, accountability, and encouragement to live out your faith wholistically.

When we isolate ourselves, we miss the opportunity to learn from each other, share our burdens, and lift one another up. Compassion flourishes in connection. Compassion thrives in the context of relationships.

When we engage with one another, we become aware of each other’s struggles and needs. Without community, we become disconnected from the realities of people’s lives. We may miss the chance to support a friend in crisis or comfort someone who’s grieving. Compassion requires intimacy, and intimacy can only flourish when we are present and engaged.

In 1 Corinthians 12:26, Paul describes the church as a body, emphasizing that if one part suffers, every part suffers with it. When we isolate ourselves, we can easily become indifferent and insensitive to the pain of others. But when we are part of a community, we share in each other’s joys and sorrows. This shared experience fosters empathy and compassion, reminding us that we are all interconnected in the body of Christ.

In community, we can confront our biases and fears that hinder our compassion.

The early church exemplified what it meant to live in community. They devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. Their love for one another was evident, and it drew others to Christ (Acts 2:42-47).

If you are not part of a local Christian community, can I encourage you to find a church near you that is committed to the truth of God’s word and growing in the fruit of the Holy Spirit?

Lack of community can hinder compassion but when we intentionally engage with one another, we grow in love and empathy, allowing us to better reflect Christ’s heart to the world.

Presented by Lisa Bishop

Let’s examine another compassion killer, jealousy.

Jealousy most often arises from comparison—comparing our finances to others, our careers, our titles at work, the amount of credit or time in the spotlight we get compared to a coworker on our team. Our relationship status, our house, kids, car, spouse, our looks, the list goes on and on. When we compare our lives to others it can lead to a feeling of lack, which can ultimately lead to resentment that poisons our relationships. When we compare ourselves to others, our hearts can go cold and be driven to apathy, insensitivity, and animosity.

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice (James 3:16).

Jealousy creates a barrier that prevents us from expressing genuine care for others and celebrating their good fortune.

Jesus embodied compassion and taught us to do the same.

In Luke 15, Jesus shares an example of compassion (and lack of it) through the parable of the prodigal son.

In this story, we learn a man had two sons. We see the younger one demanding his inheritance and leaving his father’s household only to live recklessly, squander everything he had, and drive his life into the ground.

When he runs out of money and finds himself destitute, he decides to return home. Instead of acting in anger and disowning him, his father responds with compassion and joy and welcomes him with open arms. When his father sees him approaching, he feels compassion and runs and embraces him and kisses him (Luke 15:20).

His older brother on the other hand is filled with anger and jealousy rather than compassion for his brother’s poor choices. He says,

Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him! (Luke 15:29-30).

In his eyes, his younger brother did not deserve the warm and joyous homecoming.

The bottom line is jealousy kills compassion and can cause us to act in ways that are not becoming of a follower of Jesus. When we focus on our own blessings and practice gratitude, rather than comparing them to the good fortune of others we can free ourselves from the grip of jealousy, trust in God’s provision, and allow compassion to thrive.

Presented by Lisa Bishop

Let’s examine a total hindrance to showing the tenderness of Jesus, and that’s unforgiveness.

Jesus addressed forgiveness directly in Matthew 18:21-22 when Peter asks how many times he should forgive someone who sins against him. Jesus responds, I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. This radical call to forgive is rooted in the holy understanding that holding onto grudges only harms us and hinders our ability to love others.

When I think of forgiveness, I am always struck by the story of Joseph and his brothers. I highly recommend reading the full story in Genesis but here is the gist. Out of animosity and anger, Joseph’s older brothers plotted to kill him. While their hatred did not end in murder, they sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt, which set off a slew of circumstances, not all of them favorable for Joseph. While he initially found favor with Pharaoh and became a trusted leader in his household, in a turn of events, Joseph came under false accusation and endured jail time.

Things eventually ended up in Joseph’s favor because God’s favor was on him, but his brother’s actions set off a firestorm of hardship for Joseph. Years later when Joseph was confronted with his brothers, instead of holding a grudge and exacting punishment, he chose to forgive them.

Not many of us will experience someone trying to take our life, but we may experience someone trying to ruin our reputation, a coworker or boss who acts rudely or in ways that cause us to feel belittled, a roommate who violates a living agreement or maybe a friend who betrays a confidence. I am not saying any of those things are excusable behaviors, but as followers of Jesus, we are commanded to forgive.

Unforgiveness will impact every area of your life. It quenches the work of the Holy Spirit and causes depression, anxiety, and anger. Unforgiveness leaks into other areas of our lives, and it hardens our hearts.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:32).

When we cling to unforgiveness, we shut ourselves off from the very compassion we are called to extend. Who in your life may God be calling you to forgive? Can I encourage you to surrender your bitterness to Jesus? Let his compassion for your hurt transform your heart so you can overflow with compassion for others.

Presented by Lisa Bishop We’re examining five compassion killers—things that can hinder our compassion toward others. Let’s tackle another compassion killer, and that’s busyness. In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to become so preoccupied with our own lives that we are not in tune with what others around us are going through. When we’re consumed by our schedules, juggling work, family, and countless responsibilities, rushing from one task or activity to another, we may miss ways to see and step into the pain and needs of others. In his ministry, Jesus modeled a different approach. He often paused amid the chaos, offering kindness and attention and engaging with those in need, and he calls us to slow down and look around—to look for opportunities to do the same. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). We have been comforted so we can be conduits of compassion to others. Maybe a coworker is experiencing a personal loss, disappointment in being passed over for a promotion, or another challenging life event. A way we can show compassion is by listening empathically. When we listen empathically, we are not trying to fix someone, give them advice, or share our “that happened to me too” stories. Rather we listen with the intent to deeply understand another person in a way they feel heard and valued. Think of the last time someone truly listened to you. In difficult times, genuine listening can help people pull through. What distractions might be blinding you to the suffering of others? Take time this week to spend a moment in silence, reflect and ask yourself, “What in your life pulls you away from being present with others? How can you carve out time to be more aware of those around you? What would it require of you to step into the needs of others? Maybe it’s courage or sacrificing your time or comfort. Before the start of your workday, make it a habit to pray. Ask the Holy Spirit, “Who can I demonstrate compassion toward today?” When we slow down long enough to be present to those around us, Jesus shows us many opportunities for his compassion to flow through us.