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Jesus' number one emotional response mentioned in the Gospels is compassion. This is astounding when we consider that Jesus was sinless, but constantly surrounded by sin and sinful people. Sin violently opposed His character. Everywhere He turned He saw the effects of injustice and hate. It would have been easy for Jesus to blast people for their mistakes.
He had more right than anyone to take a political and moral stand, to picket on the street, form protests, and publicly attack individuals. Yet we read that when Jesus "saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew 9:36). Jesus saw people as sheep that have been bruised, beaten, and thrown to
and fro. Rather than being filled with disdain, He was filled with love.
As the most spiritually mature person to ever live, Jesus stands as the model for what a spiritual life looks like. He remained approachable to outsiders and the hurting. His life reveals that the more spiritually mature I am, the more approachable I am to people who feel far from God. As spiritual maturity increases, approachability increases. It is a sad indictment that many outside the faith don't feel like they can approach Christians. In Jesus' day, some of the least approachable people were the religious leaders. They reeked of self-righteousness and judgment. Yet Jesus' life should give us pause:
Am I truly approachable to all kinds of people?
Is the church I belong to open to all kinds of people?
Do I have the compassion of Jesus for those who are hurting or disillusioned?
Does the church I serve have compassion?
Is our compassion evident to others?
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