Ever had someone give you something, only to make you feel like you owed them? I remember when Oma gave me a tank top and said, “Maybe now you’ll visit more!” Suddenly, what should’ve been a sweet gift felt manipulative. It’s a small example, but it shows how our motives matter. If we serve for attention, obligation, or control, it misses the mark and distracts from what God wants to do through us.

True compassion isn't something we manufacture—it’s a characteristic of God. Psalm 145:9 says, “The LORD is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made.” Compassion is a divine quality we reflect when God is working through us.

Look at Jesus in Matthew 9:35-38. He taught, healed, and cared for people because He was moved with compassion. He saw the crowds as “sheep without a shepherd.” That stirring in His spirit led to action. That’s our model.

1. Teach

Compassion calls us to share the Good News. John 3:16-17 reminds us that Jesus came not to condemn, but to save. Sharing Jesus is the most loving thing we can do. We don’t have to yell from street corners, but we do need to live and speak in a way that invites people into the love and truth of Jesus.

2. Heal

Jesus didn’t just speak—He healed. In Mark 1, a leper says, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus, moved with compassion, says, “I am willing.” At Impact Church, we believe God still heals today—physically, emotionally, spiritually. When someone shares they’re struggling, ask if you can pray with them. Don’t just promise prayer—pray then and there. You may be the hands God uses to bring healing.

3. Care

Compassion also means stepping into the mess. Like the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, we’re called to get down in the ditch with people—even when it's inconvenient, uncomfortable, or unrewarded. That’s real compassion: not just seeing the need or feeling bad—but doing something about it.

Colossians 3:12 says, “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Real compassion looks like love in action.

Picture it this way: someone’s stuck in a muddy ditch. One person drives by and shrugs. Another feels bad but moves on. But the compassionate one stops, gets muddy, and helps. That’s Jesus. That’s what we’re called to be.

Jesus didn’t shout advice from heaven—He stepped down into our mess. And now He calls His church to do the same. We may not solve every global problem, but we can meet the need in front of us with compassion that reflects the heart of God.

So this week, be the change. Look for an opportunity to teach, heal, or care—not out of duty, but because your heart is stirred with God’s compassion.

And if you're the one in need today, don’t leave without letting someone pray with you. God's compassion is here—for you, too.