Uncommon Compassion: The Courage to Love When It’s Not Easy
Compassion is often seen as a soft virtue—a gentle kindness reserved for those in need. But true, Biblical compassion is anything but weak. It is fierce, brave, and countercultural. It sees pain and chooses to engage. It costs something.
In Luke 10, Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan. A man is beaten and left for dead. Religious leaders pass by, perhaps too busy or too holy to help. But a Samaritan—an outsider, an enemy by cultural standards—stops, binds his wounds, and pays for his care. Jesus called this man the neighbor.
Real compassion crosses lines. It refuses to let prejudice, politics, or personal comfort keep it from action. It risks reputation to reach the broken. In 1 John 3:17–18, we read, “But 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?”
Jesus’ entire ministry was built on uncommon compassion. He touched lepers. He dined with tax collectors. He forgave adulterers. He wept at gravesides. He didn’t just feel compassion; He moved with it.
Colossians 3:12 instructs us to “put on…bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.” Compassion is not just a response—it’s a garment we wear, a lifestyle we choose.
But let’s be honest: compassion is inconvenient. It interrupts our schedules, challenges our biases, and stretches our hearts. It is easier to scroll past need than to stop and serve.
Uncommon compassion requires courage. The courage to step into messy situations. The courage to forgive when it’s hard. The courage to love those who may never return it.
We don’t need to be rich to be compassionate. We need to be available. A kind word, a shared meal, a listening ear—these are acts of the Kingdom.
In a world growing colder by the day, compassion is revolutionary. It is light in darkness. It is God’s love in action. As believers, we are not called to comfort but to compassion. We are called to embody the heart of Christ.
May we be people who love without limits, serve without seeking recognition, and extend grace without condition. Let our compassion be uncommon.
