FIRST COMES HUMILITY, THEN COMES COMPASSION
It’s almost funny—the control we think we have over our lives. The arrogance we carry in our circumstances. The pride we stack on top of our sanity and ability, as if they result from our power. The judgment we cast on others when assessing their lives.
We say, “It couldn’t be me.” and “I would never.” But how can we know that for sure? How can we predict the exact set of circumstances that might push us to become the worst versions of ourselves?
You may not be a murderer, an abuser, clinically insane, or habitually cruel. But do you truly believe anyone sets out to be? Do people dream of hurting others or destroying lives? If we all had complete control over the circumstances that shaped us, wouldn’t we choose to be something better? Even then, what is better? What I define as “better” comes from my own experiences—what you define as “better” comes from yours.
So how do you or I have the right to say never? To say ‘it couldn’t be me?’
We attribute so much of what we do to where we come from. You don’t know why you clean on Sundays—it’s just what you do. You don’t know why you reach for Comet, Pine-Sol, and Clorox wipes when scrubbing the tub, but that’s just how it’s done. You can’t quite place why you never show up somewhere empty-handed—it’s just something that feels necessary.
These habits, these unspoken rules, are passed down from our parents and their parents before them, shaping our perspectives and ways of moving through the world. But I didn’t choose what was passed down. Just like I didn’t choose them—or the generational curses and traumas woven into my family line. I didn’t choose the experiences that shaped my mind before I even understood what ‘choice’ was.
This isn’t about absolving myself—or anyone else—of responsibility. But doesn’t it make you curious? Doesn’t it make you wonder about others with a little more compassion?
Many things rob us of our compassion, pride and ignorance at times, but sometimes, it’s more nuanced than that. How easily the daily miracles of breathing, walking, and organs functioning without intervention convince us that we are the ones in control; we are the ones choosing and orchestrating.
But I have come to understand that it is solely by His grace that I have the opportunity to do anything. I didn’t wake myself up this morning or command my heart to keep beating. I couldn’t have orchestrated our landlord having this specific apartment ready and open when we moved back to the States—I didn’t even know if we were ever coming back. Yet, here we are.
All of these things—ordinary or peculiar, strangely specific or seemingly random—point to the glory of the Lord. To the sweet mystery of our Father, who moves in ways beyond our understanding, weaving together the seen and unseen for His purpose.
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” luke 19:40 [niv]
"All the earth will shout Your praise, our hearts will cry, these bones will sing—Great are You, Lord."
The song replayed over and over in my mind. Creation shouts. Hearts cry. Bones sing out the majestic sovereignty of God.
But what about me?
Does my life cry out? Does my character? Or do I reflect the dense and arrogant idea that what I have, what I know, and how I live is by my own choice alone?
King David said it far more gracefully than I ever could:
"But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your hand." —1 Chronicles 29:14
Who am I? Who are you?
Created beings, living on borrowed time, in a foreign place, with gifts and talents we didn’t earn. Carrying a brokenness we could never fix on our own.
And yet, in His mercy, He lets us be part of His story. He lets us rest on His grace and compassion. Teaching us that it is grace and it is compassion and it is love, that unearths darkness and encourages others to choose light.
“For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. i know all the birds of the mountains, and all the wild beasts of the field are mine.” psalms 50:10-11
Our approach to people often reflects our understanding of God’s approach to us.
If we see Him as a distant Father—one who sits in heaven, belt in hand, eager to punish, or as a puppet master pulling strings to make life more difficult—how can we truly be compassionate? If we believe He keeps a record of our sins, waiting for the right moment to throw them back in our faces, then we have yet to truly experience Him.
In the Gospel of John, we are commanded first to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul. Then, we are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Without truly knowing God, we cannot love Him. And without truly loving God, we cannot love our neighbors—or ourselves.
I have betrayed and embarrassed Him, rebelled and disobeyed, ignored and turned my back on God—countless times.
And when I fail to acknowledge who I have been to Him—the nails my life has driven into His body—I also fail to acknowledge what He gave up for me. The lengths He has gone to love and forgive me. His unchanging heart toward me.
When I forget, I give myself ground to stand in unforgiveness, bitterness, and judgment.
But the truth is this:
When Jesus could have stood, He chose to die.
When He could have judged, He chose to forgive.
When He could have walked away, He chose to stay.
He left us with the perfect example—and without excuse.
He loved, and so can I.
He forgave, and so can you.
He laid His life down, and so can we.
Let’s look at some scriptures that remind us of who we are apart from Him, but more importantly, who He is.
Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
He is powerful and divine.
He is thoughtful. He is divine, mysterious, majestic, sovereign, and mighty. He is also invisible—yet in His kindness, He allows us to see Him. All of creation declares His eternal power and divine nature. Every day, He reveals Himself to us. And every day, we have a choice: to marvel at Him or to ignore Him.
He helps us to see Him. In Philippians, we are encouraged to fix our thoughts on what is pure, righteous, and good. God, in His wisdom, has orchestrated creation in a way that allows us to put this into action—a way that strengthens our faith, if only we choose to open our eyes.
Psalms 29:3-4 “The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.”
Scripture confirms scripture. Psalms 24:1 says “The earth is the Lord and the fullness thereof”. Everything that comes from God reveals something about Him. What seemingly ordinary thing has been trying to reveal God to you?
Romans 5:6-8 “For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
While we were still enslaved to sin, while we didn’t have the character, while we weren’t obedient, He died. Christ, being fully God, despised sin to the same degree that God did. Still, He laid His life down for you and me while we were still doing things He hated.
How often do we get hung up on the things we hate about people? Searching for reasons to justify walking away or avoiding difficult relationships.
Yet, God first engaged with us when we were at our most difficult.
Psalms 11:5 "But the wicked one and the one who loves violence His soul hates. Upon the wicked He will rain coals; Fire and brimstone and a burning shall be the portion of their cup. For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.”
God hates wickedness and sin. The payment for that is fire, brimstone, and everlasting despair.
God didn’t stop hating filth because we were filthy. He dug his hands deep into the filthy trash we were all trapped under and pulled us out.
Psalms 51:3, 5-6 “For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight. Behold I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin, my mother conceived me.”
We were shaped in iniquity and conceived in sin at birth. We didn’t have a choice.
Let’s pray for an increase in our humility and compassion. We have answered God’s call to redemption by His grace. We did not call ourselves to God, He was revealed to us by the fruit and obedience of other people.
Is our fruit and obedience revealing God to the people around us?
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
We were owed and earned death. We are not getting what we deserve because of the sacrifice, kindness, and grace of God.
1 Corinthians 6:9, 11 “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived…And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
At some point, we have all been wrongdoers—deceived, lost, and enslaved to sin. But we didn’t free ourselves. We didn’t simply wake up one day and decide to do better. It was God who rescued us. He snatched us from the grip of hell by sending Jesus to die in our place. And by the power of His Spirit, He continues to sustain us, empowering us to walk in freedom.
“The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence], And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight.” pROVERBS 9:10 AMP
I don’t usually end with a prayer, but, let’s do it today.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your sovereignty and divine nature. We stand in reverent awe of all that you do in our lives and the lives around us. We ask for an increase in compassion and love for others. We need Your eyes to see people the way You do. We need Your heart to love them without selfish motives or gain. Reveal to our hearts the sacrifice You gave for us and encourage us to mirror that attitude of sacrifice with everyone around us. Reveal and remove anything in us that is keeping us from operating in full surrender and obedience. We love you and honor you.
In Jesus Mighty Name,
Amen!
