When was the last time you had compassion on a friend who was in need of something that you knew you could give ? Did you withhold something precious from someone who was in dire need of it in an attempt to just have enough for yourself ? Unlike us as human beings , God is compassionate and he does not withhold himself from us in our time of need .
“Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 [innocent] persons, who do not know the difference between their right and left hand [and are not yet accountable for sin], as well as many [blameless] animals?”
Jonah 4:11 AMP
God sent Jonah to Nineveh to warn His people regarding their sins that had gone up before Him. Jonah however goes his own way to Tarshish in an attempt to avoid his role as a prophet . Even though Jonah tries to leave the presence of God , God being so compassionate , makes a way for him to escape the repercussions of being out of his presence through a great fish . God also expresses his heart towards the people of Nineveh as he saw that they were a city of great sin . He therefore tried to save them through Jonah .
“Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave [who owed you little by comparison], as I had mercy on you?’”
Matthew 18:33 AMP
In this parable , Jesus admonishes us Christians to learn the art of forgiveness and compassion. In this parable , the servant owes the the king an unpayable debt. The king forgave him and had compassion on him . The same servant went to another fellow servant and instead of having compassion on the fellow servant as he ( the servant ) was pardoned , he ordered that the fellow servant be sent to prison until he could pay the debt .
As Christians , Jesus Christ forgave us of our sins yet we find it so difficult to extend that same compassion . Our sins were great but God’s love was greater . Is your love and compassion greater than the debt and need of your brother?
Be blessed !
A Minute with Melissa 