I’ll never forget the day I stood beside the grave of a five-month-old baby who died in her crib. The grief of the parents was unbearable to watch. I did the best I could to bring them comfort, but knew their pain was so thick, they probably couldn’t hear a word I said.

When I got back to the office, I collapsed in my chair and broke down. I thought about some headlines I’d read recently. There was the ten-day-old baby who died in a hot car because her mother left her unattended as she gambled in a South Carolina casino

And the one about the mother who was arrested for neglecting her children because of an Internet addiction.

The tragedy of seeing the suffering of good parents grieving their loss was magnified when I thought about those mothers in the headlines who allowed their addictions to gambling or the Internet keep them from caring for their children.

I don't understand these inequities, but I do know that God called us to walk beside people and encourage them when they are hurting. They are counting on us.

A few days later, I got a heart-felt “Thank You” note from the family. Though they probably couldn’t hear a word I said, and though I couldn’t take their pain away, they knew I was there for them. For me, it was the least I could do. But sometimes the least we can do, is the most we can do.

Two moments from Princess Diana's funeral stand out in my memory. Elton John's musical tribute and her brother's moving address.

In his song, "Goodbye England's Rose," Elton John mourned her early departure as he praised the hallmark of her compassion.

Before the shock of Princess Diana's death wore off, the world was jolted with the news of the death of Mother Teresa. The Pope used the same word to describe her as people used to describe the Princess: compassion.

—USA Today, 9-5-97,The Albuquerque Tribune, 9-13-97 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

The two women lived totally different lives. One among the wealthy, the other among the poor. One was beautiful, the other wasn't. One died young, the other didn't. But a common thread tied them together: their compassion.

Luke 10:34 NASB and came to him, and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Bureaucrats in Austria had the right idea, but were ten years late in providing help to a needy family. A local woman and her three children were left homeless after fire destroyed their house, so the community joined together and raised the equivalent of 10,000 British pounds to help the family. Instead of helping the family with the immediate needs, the savings book detailing the funds collected for the family was placed inside a safe in the mayor's office and forgotten.

Ten years later, the money was rediscovered when the old mayor of the city stepped down and gave his successor the combination to the safe. The new mayor asked about the savings book he found inside, and discovered the money had never been distributed. To set things right, the money plus accrued interest, was given to the woman and her children.

—http://www.ananova.com, Better Late Than Never, August 2004. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

I'm glad this family got the money that the community donated for them, but they didn't get it at the time they really needed it. Real compassion is doing the right thing, but doing it in a timely matter.

James 1:27 (MSG) "Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world."

In the motion picture, Hotel For Dogs, Andi and Bruce are a teenage brother and sister in search of a family. They have had several sets of foster parents since their parents died, but few families want the responsibility of caring for a set of teenage children.

The kid’s saving grace becomes their shared love of dogs. Instead of worrying about their own needs, Andi and Bruce team up with some new friends to establish a home for stray dogs in an abandoned hotel. They group eventually puts the local Animal Control office out of business as they provide shelter, food, and other basic needs for a growing group of canine friends.

Trouble begins when the illegal hotel for dogs is discovered. The dogs are taken to animal control, while Andi and Bruce are taken to the local police station. Though their social worker is able to get custody of Andi and Bruce, he knows he will no longer be able to place them in foster care together. Andi and Bruce complicate matters, when they try to move all the dogs from animal control to a “No-kill’ shelter in a different county to save their lives.

The effort backfires, but focuses on the community’s attention on those that society often overlooks. In the example of how two neglected children risked everything to save their four legged friends, everyone learns a lesson about caring for those in need.

OPTION 1Play scene from Hotel For Dogs, Chapter 15 1:25:08 to 1:29:12 and make application

OPTION II Describe scene and make application

Police, Animal Control, and the media are all in a frenzy after the rescued dogs returned to the hotel. Andi and Bruce are losing the battle against the authorities, and all seems lost when Andi and Bruce’s social worker, Bernie appears at the top of the stairs and tries to quiet the mob, and set the record straight after completing his own investigation. Bernie yells, “Stop,” and manages to get the crowds’ attention. As the crowd calms, a police officer on the scene asks, “Okay, now who are you?”Bernie boldly says, “I’m Bernie Wilkins” He takes out his identification, and adds, “Social Worker.”Unsatisfied, the mob begins to get out of control, but Bernie reins things in again. Addressing the crowd, he says, “Come on, listen. Can you just hear me out before you throw these kids in jail and destroy all these innocent dogs?”When he is sure he has everyone’s attention, Bernie continues, “Look I’m responsible for these kids and I know what they did was wrong, but I gotta tell you, I wish I had the guts to do what they did.”

The camera pans the kids and the crowd as Bernie goes on. “I’ve been trying to place kids in good homes for 15 years and most of the time I’m not successful.” He points at Andi and Bruce. “But these kids, they did not make excuses. They did not get frustrated with the system and give up. They just went out and did it. They saved everybody. They created their own little family.”

One of the Animal Control Officers takes exception, and asks, “You call this a family? A bunch of mangy strays in an old hotel?”Bernie takes the hotel registry from under his arm. In the book, Bruce has given every dog a name and included a short history of where that animal came from. Bernie starts reading names as the various dogs appear with him at the top of the staircase. As Bernie reads, the group begins to see that each animal is more than a stray, more than a number. Each is an individual, with a real story. As he finishes reading the names, Bernie says, “No one was turned away when they needed a home. Nobody was abandoned when they were looking for a family. Are you really going to tell me that we’re just going to abandon then now?”

As Bernie’s words settle over the group, the mood changes. Now that everyone can see the real stories and the real example caring can make, they want to know more. The media representatives ask permission to see more. When the police grant it, everyone rushes by the astonished Animal Control officers to learn more about what has changed the lives of these children and their community.

Application: In this story, it was dogs that needed compassion. The truth is, there are people surrounding us every day that need attention too. We can be so busy with our own lives that we pass right by people in need every day. Two kids who had their own needs made a difference by taking time to help individual dogs. It cost them, time, and money, but they were willing to give whatever was needed to make a difference. What kind of difference could we make in the world if we only took the time to make a difference in one life today?

James 1:27 (CEV) “Religion that pleases God the Father must be pure and spotless. You must help needy orphans and widows and not let this world make you evil.”

In his book, Conservative Victory, Sean Hannity writes, “But Jesus never directed that government be the agency used to help the poor. He was talking about charity proceeding from individuals and His church.”

- Highlight Loc. 2698-99 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson.

Psalm 41:1 (NASB) “How blessed is he who considers the helpless; The LORD will deliver him in a day of trouble.”

Most people equate church with feeding the soul, but a Michigan church is continuing a tradition to feeding both body and soul. Northridge Church in Plymouth Michigan has asked 300 community volunteers to help tend its 21,000 square foot garden. They plan to do better than they ever have, and deliver more than 15,000 pounds of fresh vegetables to food pantries and soup kitchens in their area this summer and fall.

Senior Pastor Brad Powell says the community garden is part of an effort to help people at their point of need, touching lives in a tangible way. He says it is exciting to see entire families work together to meet needs. The church plans to harvest the crops and give them to a Detroit Food bank between mid-July and October. Pastor Powell summed up the church’s effort saying,” We are a church that cares. While I am proud of our Northridge family, our mission isn’t to glorify ourselves, it’s to glorify Christ; we most visibly evidence that by showing compassion and care for those in need.”

--Mich. Megachurch’s Community Garden Feeds Thousands, http://www.christianpost.com/news/northridge-church-growing-food-for-the-poor-50960; June 8, 2011, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Matthew 25:35-40 (CEV) (35) When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, (36) and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me." (37) Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, "When did we give you something to eat or drink? (38) When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear (39) or visit you while you were sick or in jail?" (40) The king will answer, "Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me."

Having not being notified of a hospital board meeting, Dr. Edwin West was the only Doctor available near the newborn nursery on a spring day back in 1976. A call went out for him to look at a prematurely born baby who had stopped breathing. He did mouth to face breathing, face because the baby’s face was too small for mouth to mouth. He did chest compressions with his thumb. The baby’s heart began to beat and she began to breathe on her own.

Hearing about the baby the next week in church Dr. West was surprised that the baby was connected to someone in his church’s congregation. Later when he read an article about the baby in the Newspaper something began to speak to his heart. As he thought about the things he didn’t do to comfort the family he realized that he had been practicing medicine with a missing ingredient; Compassion.

Over the next 37 years this experience and his continual prayer for compassion made the good doctor more compassionate. One morning in 2013 he was at the newborn nursery when he realized the staff was expecting a premature baby. The Doctor in charge was not present so Dr. West offered to stay until he could get there.

As they waited for either the Doctor or the birth Dr. West began to tell a nurse about his experience back in 1976. Another nurse became interested. She asked, “Do you remember the baby’s name?”

He remembered a part of it but the nurse remembered the whole name. She also knew the baby’s name and the name of the parents. Even though the nurse and Dr. West had worked together for the last 5 years, neither one knew they had met once before, 37 years ago, when a young Dr. West breathed new life into her little body.

God works in mysterious ways to conform us to His likeness. This is just one of the ways He answers our prayer. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Matthew 9:36-38 (ESV) (36) When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (37) Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; (38) therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

When Cherie Miller started a pay it forward chain reaction by opting to pay for the food in the car behind her, she did not realize that she would actually benefit from her own kindness. After starting the chain, Miller drove off, and a few blocks away realized that she had forgotten to get chicken nuggets for her son. When she returned to the line, Miller was the 18th car in the chain. Some employees recognized her and told the store manage Carmen Fisher that the woman who started the chain was back. When Miller got to the window, the employees asked if they could take a picture with her. Miller agreed, and when she realized that her action was still going, she paid for the car behind her again, and kept it going. Fisher said that chain went on for another 20 cars. Fisher added, “By the time it was over, 38 cars had paid it forward showing kindness to each other. The power of a single act of kindness was just very real to us.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Chick-fil-A Pay It Forward Chain Comes Full Circle, By Stefanie Tuder, https://gma.yahoo.com/chick-fil-pay-forward-chain-comes-full-circle-194252732.html, Accessed June 6, 2014

Galatians 5:22 (HCSB) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,

A new documentary, The Drop Box, tells the story of Pastor Lee Jong-rak, who founded South Korea’s first box for abandoned newborn babies. The film tells how Lee, once a dirty-tempered, skirt-chasing drunk, was transformed by a loving heavenly father to love his own child and other newborns and sick infants he discovers in his box.

His own son, 29-year-old Eun-man is the inspiration behind Lee’s ministry. He is bedridden, brain-damaged, and totally dependent. The film presents Lee’s love and care for Eun-man as either superhuman, or as receiving superhuman strength from somewhere.

The result is a challenge to all believers to have compassion and care for those infants and individuals who are helpless by themselves. -- Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Matthew 25:40 (HCSB) “And the King will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’”

Genocide, rape, destruction, child trafficking are all the norm in many parts of the world. This devastating reality has caused millions of people to flee their homes, countries, and families looking for safety. There are more displaced people in the world now than there were after World War II. There were 65.3 million displaced people in the word at the end of 2015 making that one out of every 113 people on earth.

Is the church called to engage this crisis? What is the heart of God when it comes to refugees? –Jim L. Wilson and Eric Gibbs

--http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/latest/2015/6/558193896/worldwide-displacement-hits-all-time-high-war-persecution-increase.html

Matthew 25:35–36 (HCSB) “For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you took care of Me; I was in prison and you visited Me.”

Jack McConnell recently died at the age of 93. He was a medical researcher who participated in some amazing discoveries including a test for detecting tuberculosis and developing the polio vaccine. He was also instrumental in the invention of the first MRI system. Perhaps his biggest contribution of all began with a hitch-hiker. The man had no health insurance and needed a doctor for his pregnant wife. McConnell believed this family and many others like them needed better medical care. He decided to start a free clinic and asked retired doctors and nurses to volunteer. The clinic opened in 1993 and has spread until there are clinics in almost 100 communities nationwide. These clinics help thousands of people each year because this good Samaritan wanted to help a hitch-hiker and those like him.

Jesus said we are to love our neighbor as ourselves and when asked who our neighbor was, Jesus told the story of the good Samaritan. Can we use the resources at our disposal to help others in need? —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Then an expert in the law stood up to test him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind;” and “your neighbor as yourself.”

“You’ve answered correctly,” he told him. “Do this and you will live.”

Jesus took up the question and said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion. He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. When I come back I’ll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.’

“Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”

Writing in World Magazine, Editor Marvin Olasky tries to make sense out of our current cultural situation. He says that we are essentially two nations. As one example he proposes, “We have an America of compassion toward the very young and the very old, and a United States of callousness that promotes abortion and euthanasia.” A clear understanding of the New Testament should convince us that the church should always land on the side of life and compassion. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Marvin Olasky, All Right, we are two nations, World Magazine, March 3, 2018 pp 8-9

Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

An employee alerted Jitennda Singh about a possible shoplifter in his store. Singh went to the front and confronted the young man when he came to the register to check out. When asked to empty his pockets the boy took out one item, but Singh had seen him take more on the security cameras. When Singh threatened to contact police, the boy confessed and said he was stealing the merchandise because he and his brother were hungry. Singh already had a 911 operator on the phone, but hung up and told the boy that the candy he had stolen was not food. Instead, Singh, who owns the convenience store, told the boy to ask if he was hungry and he could real food. The store sells pizza, chicken wings, and other food items, so Singh gave the boy some and sent him on his way. Singh said he did not want the boy’s life to be ruined for trying to feed himself and his family. He said his response was prompted by a need. He added, “When he said, ‘I’m hungry and that’s why I’m stealing,’ I said, ’OK, he has some genuine problem. He’s not a thief who’s going and stealing stuff and selling it.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Proverbs 30:8–9 (CSB) “Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. ⁹ Otherwise, I might have too much and deny you, saying, ‘Who is the Lord?’ or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God.”

On April 4, 2020 Luciana Lira, a Connecticut school teacher spoke to Zully, a mother of one of her school children and learned that she had two medical issues. She was pregnant and about to give birth, and she had just tested positive for COVID-19.

After hanging up the phone with Zully, she immediately called Marvin, Zully’s husband to talk to him. During that phone she heard that her student, and both parents had tested positive for the virus and they were afraid their newborn child would become infected also. Then Marvin asked her the big question: “Would you take care of the baby until he received test results that cleared him of COVID-19?”

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8266779/Hero-teacher-cares-newborn-baby-entire-family-sickened-coronavirus.html

Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another, and be compassionate and humble,

When Paul Mitchell saw how hard parts of Texas were hit by a strong winter storm, he knew God wanted him to go and help people who did not have water to drink shower or even flush their toilets. The retired plumber and his family went to Austin area along with others, and soon realized that the plumbers in the area would be backed up for months and many residents could not even afford to pay a plumber. Mitchell considered his work a mission from God because hydration and hygiene two of the most important things with water because life depends on water. Mitchell said he will take away a lot of good memories from his time helping. He said, “It was so neat to see diverse people from all over the U.S. who had a common purpose and a common heart---and we could meet together in the morning we could pray together in the morning and everybody would just say ‘amen’ and hit the road and go to our tasks.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him—how does God’s love reside in him?

The Soup Place, a restaurant in Melbourne Australia has created an ongoing program to provide meals to the homeless and in need of support. Customers pay for a meal then leave a sticky note on board for a person in need to redeem. Often customers leave messages for the recipients even though they will likely never meet them. Adam Salamito redeemed a sticky note for a meal and noticed the note had been left by someone from Greenville South Carolina. He was amazed by the distance and grateful for the meal so he sent an email to the city of Greenville to express his thanks. Beth Brotherton, the city’s director of communications and neighborhood relations was so touched by the email that she shared it with her team and corresponded with Salamito. Brotherton said she had no idea who left that note and said it was a wonderful treat to see the impact of one act of kindness. Salamito framed the note as a reminder about the act of kindness. He added, “To have someone from the other side of the world do such a simple, chartable act touched me deeply.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.