Compassionate
“Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;” Exodus 34:6
It is customary at social gatherings to be asked the question, “What do you do?” You have probably heard it hundreds of times. But what would you say if someone asked you, “How would you describe who you really are?” Could you answer that question with the same alacrity?
Moses asked God that question once. “God, who are you?” And God gave Him an answer. Before you see what God said, take fifteen seconds and write down the moral definition of God. Don’t skip over this. You can take fifteen seconds of your life for the most important definition you will ever learn. See if your answer matches the answer God gave. It’s right here in Exodus 34:6 and 7. The very first thing on God’s self-definition is compassionate. Did you put that word first in your definition? If not, maybe you need to re-evaluate who God is?
Compassionate is the Hebrew word rachum. This word is never used in any other description except as a characteristic of God. The first characteristic that God tells us about Himself is that He is merciful and forgiving. That’s what compassionate means. Merciful – someone who does not give us what we deserve – someone who decides not to collect the debt. And forgiving – someone who puts aside the guilty verdict and pardons the criminal – someone who pays the price we owe so that we can go free. Compassionate is not about feeling sorry for someone. It is not about empathy or sympathy or shared anguish. It is about action. It is about doing something that will change the situation. Mercy – set aside the punishment. Forgiveness – issue a pardon. Action words.
When you answered the question, “How would you describe who you really are?” did you include compassionate? If you are going to reflect what God did for you, that word should have been first on your list.
Today’s Action: Today I will look for compassion in me, and when I find it, I will let it out.
(once more tomorrow)
