Jesus is compassionate

Hey, Bridge Family,

Hope everyone’s doing well. This week at the Bridge, we shared a story from the Book of Luke. The story goes that Jesus and the disciples are traveling to a village when they come across a funeral procession for the only son of a widow. His heart was filled with compassion (7:13 NLT) for the grieving mother, and with just a word and a touch, he brought the young man back to life—two takeaways from this message.

First, the story is striking because the widow didn’t ask Jesus for help or a miracle; she might not have even noticed him or believed in his power. Jesus saw her grief, felt it, and took it away. We can experience Jesus in the same way even now, even amid suffering and rejection. This story shows Jesus is always with us, sharing our pain and taking it away. Paul’s message in Philippians reminds us we can experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand…in Christ Jesus (4:7).

Second, understanding what compassion means is essential for being truly compassionate. Empathy involves sharing feelings, but compassion goes further—it drives us to take action to alleviate suffering, just as Jesus did in this passage. Since compassion isn’t innate, we must experience and teach it to our children so it becomes part of their daily lives, modeled on Christ’s example. Here are a couple of ideas to help cultivate a compassionate heart in our children.

1) Share how Christ has been with you through tough times and rejection, and how He lifted your spirits during those moments. Maybe someone new came into your life and made a difference. Describe what that person did and how it made you feel. Share that this was an answer that only God could have given you.

2) Find a way to turn empathy into action, like sponsoring a child through ELIPS at the church or organizations like Children’s International. Help them understand their need for support, encourage them to write back or earn money to contribute, and pray for the child together.

Remember, it’s never too late to engage. As long as your child is at home, you have an excellent opportunity to share the Bible and explore it together, making faith an exciting and meaningful adventure. God Bless, and hope to see your family on Sunday.

Pastor Bob