“The best way to love God is to love others.” — Billy Graham
Our faith is not meant to be a private sentiment; it is meant to be visible through our compassion.
Compassion is Not Compromise
Having compassion or empathy for others doesn’t mean we have to agree with their choices or lifestyle. It simply means that we recognize their humanity. We treat them with dignity and respect because every single person is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Every human being possesses a value that is not self-assigned, but God-given, granting them a basic, common agency that we are called to honor.
The Strength of Empathy
There is a misconception that empathy for the hurting is a sign of weakness or even sin. In reality, the exact opposite is true. It was a deep, divine compassion that allowed Jesus to reach out to the woman at the well. By the world’s standards at the time, she was a “mess”—the “wrong” religion, the “wrong” gender, and someone who had made a series of bad choices. She was an outcast.
Yet, Christ looked beyond the “mess” and saw a valuable human being. That same compassion is what caused Him to step out of heaven, spend His life on earth healing the blind and the sick, and ultimately sacrificing Himself for us. If we say we love God, we must show it through respect, courtesy, and a sense of “brightness” toward others.
Standing With People in the Mess
People often get themselves into difficult situations. Loving them doesn’t always mean you have to “fix” their mess for them. Sometimes, the most Christ-like thing you can do is simply acknowledge their struggle: “I wish I could help, but I can’t. I will pray for you, and I am here to listen.” Sometimes, people just need someone to walk through the valley with them.
However, this love also demands action when we see a wrong being committed. If we see someone being mistreated, we must stand up for them and do the right thing.
The Greatest Commandment
When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, His answer was clear.
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 22:37-39 ESV
You cannot truly fulfill the first without practicing the second.
The Dee Zone 