I appreciate a principled life. But if we are driven only by principles and not by compassion, the principle will fall flat and become a hard and loveless response to those who are suffering.
After listening to Bildad’s insensitive words as to why Job was suffering, Job said, “Yes, I know this is true in principle” (Job 9:2). Job was saying the principle of Bildad’s words were true on the surface but they were not motivated by a deeper work of God – compassion.
Principles sound great until they are received by a suffering person who is in the middle of deep and overwhelming pain. Tossing principles at people who are suffering, though the principle may be true, they will not become part of the healing process. Only when compassion is motivating our principled words will they have the kind of impact God intends.
When a man with leprosy came and knelt before Jesus, he begged the Lord to heal him. “Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. ‘I am willing’ he said. ‘Be healed!’ Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed’” (Mark 1: 41-42).
Speaking principles without the motivation of compassion does little for a suffering heart. Allowing God to move us with His compassion will bring the kind of healing that the most elegantly expressed principles can never provide.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Garris Elkins
Featured Image by Alexa from Pixabay
