COMPASSION FATIGUE! WHAT IS IT? THE ACTUAL DEFINITION IS “INDIFFERENCE TO CHARITABLE APPEALS ON BEHALF OF THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING, EXPERIENCED AS A RESULT OF THE FREQUENCY OR NUMBER OF SUCH APPEALS.”
COMPASSION FATIGUE IS FAR GREATER THAN JUST BEING “TIRED” AND SHOULD NOT BE MISTAKEN FOR BURNOUT. THIS IS THE PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF HELPING OTHERS — OFTEN THROUGH EXPERIENCES OF STRESS OR TRAUMA.
WE MAY HAVE THAT SITUATION HERE WITH JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES. THEY HAVE BEEN OVERWORKED, DEALING WITH CROWDS, MISSING MEALS, AND NOW RETURNING FROM PLACING THEIR FRIEND, JOHN THE BAPTIST, IN HIS GRAVE. JESUS SAYS IN MARK 6:30-31, “LET’S GO OFF BY OURSELVES TO A QUIET PLACE AND REST AWHILE.”...SO THEY LEFT BY BOAT FOR A QUIET PLACE, WHERE THEY COULD BE ALONE.”
HOWEVER, THEY DIDN’T SLIP AWAY UNNOTICED. SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT A HUGE CROWD SAW THEM AND WAS ABLE TO GET AHEAD OF THE BOAT AND WAS READY AND WAITING FOR JESUS. WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SABBATICAL WAS NOW AN INVASION OF PRIVACY AND DISRUPTION TO THEIR INTENDED REST SCHEDULE.
THEY COULD EASILY SEE ALL THE PEOPLE CROWDING THE SHORELINE AS THEY WERE COMING INLAND. I AM SURE THEY WERE CHALLENGED WITH A VAST RANGE OF RESPONSES TO THIS INTENSE SITUATION, BUT STILL CHOSE TO COME ASHORE AND DOCK THE BOAT.
SCRIPTURE TELLS US HOW JESUS HANDLED THIS SITUATION IN VERSE 34, “JESUS SAW THE HUGE CROWD AS HE STEPPED FROM THE BOAT, AND HE HAD COMPASSION ON THEM.” COMPASSION!
WE DISCOVER THE TRUE EXPRESSION OF JESUS’ FEELINGS IN THIS ONE WORD. THE WORD FOR “COMPASSION” USED HERE BY MARK IS A “SPLAGCHNIZOMAI" (SPLAH-NEEDS-AH-MY).
THIS WORD MEANS THE “INTERNAL ORGANS” AND THE DEPTH OF OUR VERY BEING. THIS FORM OF COMPASSION MEANS TO BE MOVED SO DEEPLY BY SOMETHING THAT FILLS YOU UP THAT YOU FEEL IT IN THE PIT OF YOUR STOMACH.
THIS DEPTH OF EMOTION IS FAR MORE THAN PITY BECAUSE IT MOVES US SO COMPLETELY THAT WE CAN PHYSICALLY FEEL IT, AND WE ARE SO OVERCOME WITH IT WE CAN’T HELP BUT TO RESPOND.
COMPASSION IS A STRONG WORD THAT SPEAKS ABOUT A STRONG RESPONSE. THERE IS NOTHING SUBTLE OR UNCERTAIN ABOUT IT AT ALL. SPLAGCHNIZOMAI MEANS AN INSTINCTIVE, GUT-WRENCHING, EMOTIONAL RESPONSE THAT IS SO POWERFUL THAT WE ARE PHYSICALLY MOVED TO ACTION.
PLAGCHNIZOMAI SUGGESTS THAT WHEN WE SEE HUMAN NEED, WE RESPOND PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND DECISIVELY. THIS KIND OF COMPASSION IS NOT A TIMID, SUBTLE, OR DISTANT RESPONSE; THIS IS NOT A QUIET OR STINGY VIRTUE. IT’S ACTIVE, PRONOUNCED, AND DEMANDING. IT INVOLVES SACRIFICE AND DENIAL OF SELF!
EPHESIANS 4:32, “BE KIND AND COMPASSIONATE TO ONE ANOTHER, FORGIVING EACH OTHER, JUST AS IN CHRIST GOD FORGAVE YOU.” 1 PETER 3:8, “FINALLY, ALL OF YOU, BE LIKE-MINDED, BE SYMPATHETIC, LOVE ONE ANOTHER, BE COMPASSIONATE AND HUMBLE.”
WE MUST BE MOVED WITH COMPASSION AS JESUS WAS MOVED. JESUS SHOWS US AND ALSO TEACHES US HOW TO LIVE OUR LIVES AS HIS AMBASSADORS TO THIS WORLD. 1 JOHN 2:6, “THOSE WHO SAY THEY LIVE IN GOD SHOULD LIVE THEIR LIVES AS JESUS DID.”COMPASSION IS LIVING LIKE JESUS IN HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS TOWARDS OTHERS AND THE WORLD.
OUR GOD LOVES UNCONDITIONALLY AND IS A RESTORATIVE AND REDEEMING GOD. HIS PLAN IS TO RECONCILE AND BRING BACK INTO ORDER THOSE THINGS WHICH SIN HAS DAMAGED OR BROKEN.
EMBRACING COMPASSION IS A TENANT OF SANCTIFICATION WHICH IS TO SET US FREE TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART, SOUL, MIND, AND STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELVES.
WE HAVE TWO STEPS WE CAN TAKE IN HELPING US MAINTAIN OUR JOURNEY ON THE ROAD TOWARDS COMPASSION. FIRST, WE EXAMINE OURSELVES AS TO WHERE COMPASSION STANDS. WE NATURALLY CAN GRAVITATE TOWARDS THOSE MOST NEAR TO US. WHERE IS OUR HEARTS FOR THOSE MOST DISTANT AND ESTRANGED?
MATTHEW 5:44, “BUT I SAY TO YOU, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, BLESS THOSE WHO CURSE YOU, DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HATE YOU, AND PRAY FOR THOSE WHO SPITEFULLY USE YOU AND PERSECUTE YOU…” LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS AND CAN ALLOW A NEW WORK OF HEALING AND RESTORATION BECAUSE LOVE FUELS COMPASSION.
COLOSSIANS 3:13, “BEAR WITH EACH OTHER AND FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER IF ANY OF YOU HAS A GRIEVANCE AGAINST SOMEONE. FORGIVE AS THE LORD FORGAVE YOU.” WE MUST ALLOW THE COMPASSION THAT GOD HAS FOR US TO SHAPE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS IN MOST NEED OF SUCH LOVE. WHEN WE DENY OURSELVES AND PICK UP OUR CROSS TO FOLLOW JESUS, HE CAN SOFTEN OUR HEARTS AND IT HELP US TURN OUR HATE INTO LOVE. WE EXAMINE OURSELVES AS TO WHERE OUR COMPASSION STANDS.
OUR SECOND STEP OF DEVELOPING “SPLAGCHNIZOMAI” INTO OUR LIFE IS INCORPORATING THE LESSONS FROM THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN.
THE SAMARITAN’S COMPASSION CROSSED BOUNDARIES AND LOVED DESPITE SOCIAL NORMS, CUSTOMS, AND PREJUDICES. HE SAW SOMEONE IN NEED AND RESPONDED WITH GREAT COMPASSION. HE RESPONDED, GAVE AID, AND USED HIS OWN RESOURCES TO HELP.
IT DOESN’T STOP THERE! HE TAKES HIM TO A HOTEL WHERE HE CAN CONTINUE MEDICAL CARE. HE SPENDS THE NIGHT WITH HIM TO KEEP HIM SAFE. HE NOT ONLY PAYS FOR EVERYTHING, BUT MAKES ARRANGEMENTS TO REIMBURSE THE HOTEL FOR ALL EXPENSES.
COMPASSION KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES AND RENDERS NO COST TOO GREAT TO INVEST INTO ANOTHER PERSON TO SHOW THEM THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE SACRIFICIAL REDEMPTION OF JESUS CHRIST. WE MUST ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO WORK WITHIN US TO BECOME LOVING AND COMPASSIONATE IN THE WAY JESUS SHOWED US.
IF WE DON’T SEEK HOLINESS OR MAKE THE CHOICE TO PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS, WE WILL BE NOTHING BUT AN ABRASIVE NOISE AND USELESS TO THE WORLD.
1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-3, TELLS US THAT IF WE DO NOT LOVE WITH COMPASSION, WE ARE SIMPLY A NOISY GONG AND CLASHING CYMBALS. WE WILL BECOME NOTHING AND WILL HAVE GAINED NOTHING. WE MUST STAY CONNECTED TO CHRIST IN AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP THAT IS EMPOWERED AND MADE FRUITFUL THROUGH THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT.
“SPLAGCHNIZOMAI” IS HOLY COMPASSION. IT IS THE STRENGTH BEHIND 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7, 13, “LOVE IS PATIENT AND KIND. LOVE IS NOT JEALOUS OR BOASTFUL OR PROUD OR RUDE. IT DOES NOT DEMAND ITS OWN WAY. IT IS NOT IRRITABLE, AND IT KEEPS NO RECORD OF BEING WRONGED. IT DOES NOT REJOICE ABOUT INJUSTICE BUT REJOICES WHENEVER THE TRUTH WINS OUT. LOVE NEVER GIVES UP, NEVER LOSES FAITH, IS ALWAYS HOPEFUL, AND ENDURES THROUGH EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE…THREE THINGS WILL LAST FOREVER—FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE—AND THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.”
IF YOU’RE NOT THERE YET….GET STARTED. IF YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY, KEEP GOING AND DIG DEEPER. IF YOU ARE SPOT-ON, BULLS-EYE, NOT ONLY STAY THE COURSE, BUT DISCIPLE AND MENTOR TO BRING SOMEONE ALONG WITH YOU.
WE MUST LOVE WITH COMPASSION! WE MUST LIVE JUST LIKE JESUS. WE MUST PURSUE SANCTIFICATION! THAT IS WHY I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH THE COMMAND OF JESUS AND HIS CONCLUSION TO THE PARABLE OF THE “GOOD SAMARITAN.”
HE SAID IN LUKE 10:37, “GO AND DO LIKEWISE.” LET US GO AND “SPLAGCHNIZOMAI” AND LIVE IN HOLY COMPASSION TO ADVANCE THE KINGDOM OF GOD!
