moved.with.compassion.

Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."
Mark 1:41

Last Thursday, I needed to spice up my connection time. I fall into routine far too easily, and things sometimes just become a check-list. I hate that. I especially hate it when it comes to spending time with Jesus. So, last Thursday, after doing my normal time in the Word, I decided to flip over to Mark. I needed some Gospel. And, I felt like I needed to give a little time to the one Gospel that is never really talked about... Mark. Ol' Mark needed some love... love I would give.

With hope that the Holy Spirit would jump up and bite me, I read Chapter 1. Man, did the H.S. go to work!!! I journaled over 3 different things that Jesus did in 45 verses that I consistently fail at doing in my 24 hours days. ONE of these 3 hit me the hardest... so I'll share.

moved.with.compassion.

Jesus was about to cure a leper. Something that I so casually read about, but to that leper, to those witnesses... this was HUGE. So, I dive in... and the words "moved with compassion" just stuck with me. Jesus was moved.with.compassion. Come to think of it, Jesus was ALWAYS acting and serving with compassion. However, I'm not always moved, nor am I always compassionate.

I realized that these 3 words: moved, with, compassion all exemplify

community.

moved :: definition - to stir the emotions, feelings, or passions of.
Being moved usually comes from being around someone or something else...

with :: usually used in context of joining 2 or more things together.
I guess my thought process behind this was that we are called to live life with others.

compassion :: definition - sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it.

So, I started thinking... how often am I really moved by the people and world around me? By the stories of others' struggles? How often am I with that person... most importantly, how often am I interceding for them in prayer? How often do I feel compassion towards others and cease loving me more than them? My answer made my heart hurt... it wasn't what I wanted to see... it only amplified my broken and selfish heart.

Jesus was moved with compassion towards ALL of us... even BEFORE the Cross. It was at the Cross where He laid His life down for us, but before that... He was showing us how WE are to LIVE. And, I humbly admit, I fail miserably every moment of living like Jesus.

I'm reminded of Psalm 139:23-24 and have to remember to ask God the same thing David did ::

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my thoughts; And see if there be any wicked way in me..."

It's my prayer that we, the Body of Christ, become such a reflection of Jesus that we are moved.with.compassion. towards everyone in any situation.