So then...why compassion?
In our call to serve the least of these we get a picture of what Christ calls us to do. In Matthew 25, Jesus separates the sheep and the goats. He judges based not on how "good" we were, but on how we treated the sick, the poor, the lonely, and the destitute.
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Mother Teresa once said "Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat." We are called to love our brothers and sisters just as Christ loved us by dying for us on the cross to pay for our sins.
And who are our brothers and sisters anyways? Borders and boundaries don't exist in the kingdom. In the words of a very wise man "We can be the generation that no longer accepts that an accident of latitude determines whether a child lives or dies. But will we be that generation?" - Bono
Honduras. Colombia. Kenya. India. These are our brothers and sisters, and we must come to their aid. This is what Compassion International does.
Compassion addresses the problem of poverty in a number of ways. "In response to the Great Commission, Compassion International exists as an advocate for children, to release them from their spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enable them to become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults."
What a beautiful picture of the gospel in action...
I have had a heart for Africa for many years now, and I feel God calling me to serve in a tangible way. I have a lot of hope for the children and young adults who are touched by the work that Compassion does. Because of Compassion programs, people are not only overcoming poverty, they are also learning how to live fully and love God completely. The stories that I've read, and the pictures that I've seen have inspired me to become more involved with Compassion. I strongly urge you to read more about Compassion. Get involved. Sponsor a child. It'll change your life.
