Showing Compassion

I've got a good friend who tells people that he doesn't have the gift of mercy. Since I have seen him in multiple interactions with people, I can attest to the fact that he is indeed a very compassionate person and cares deeply for others. The real truth is that he doesn't have patience for foolish people who are unwilling to change.

I believe that it's vital for us to show compassion to people around us in need. We should eagerly seek to bring blessing when God gives us the opportunity to extend a helping hand. I believe in giving people multiple chances because after all, isn't that what God does for each of us? I also believe that God doesn't want us to blindly tolerate foolishness. We have to have the wisdom to recognize when the time is right to change our approach and make the best use of what we have. Foolishness never decreases the amount of compassion that we have for people, but it does call us to be judicious in how we approach helping them. The desire for extending God's kindness doesn't change, but there are times when the methods by which we provide help need to be adjusted.

Being willing to take a "tough love" approach might actually be a greater act of compassion than it appears to be on the surface.