As some of you may already know, God has given me the privilege of being able to serve as a camp counselor this summer. After about a week and a half of training, the camp season began with a teen camp. I am writing this on a Wednesday, our off day between camps. Tomorrow, we are expecting campers for one of the junior camps this summer.
During my time here, I have experienced tremendous spiritual growth. God has given me a glimpse of what these campers experience in their everyday lives, as well as the change that can occur in a few short days. However, I would like to focus on one thing that has tremendously impacted my time spent here at camp: the word compassion.
Compassion is different from empathy, which is simply sensing the emotions of others. Compassion goes beyond seeing the pain, and gets involved in the pain. It shares in the suffering and lets others know that there are people that care and that are hurting with them.
The importance of compassion in ministry cannot be overstated. This is because the driving force of ministry is compassion coupled with God's power. Compassion recognizes the needs in the lives of others and moves people to work to meet those needs. It drives people to evangelize and to serve others.
However, compassion is not just a motivator for action; it is also an expression of love. This can be revealed by praying with someone, putting an arm around someone that is hurting, or just telling them that you really care. It is a powerful unifying force in any team, whether it is your family, your coworkers, or your ministry partners. Compassion allows people to overlook the theological and physical differences of others and unify with them in genuine love.
Compassion is a characteristic of God. Psalm 86:15 says, "But Thou, Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth." Additionally, I John 3:17 says, "But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" This verse basically says, "If you don't have compassion, how can you say that God's love lives in you?"
It takes courage and discernment to show compassion. Rejection may occur, and people may act as if nothing is wrong. However, this must not discourage us from showing compassion regularly. Remember the words of I Peter 3:8, "Finally be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren..."
