In Matthew 25, Jesus gives us a description of what Judgment Day will be like: ‘All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me”’ (vv. 32-36 NLT). Every time we show compassion to someone, every time we make an effort to help someone in need, we’re doing it to and for Jesus. It also means that every time we ignore or reject someone, we’re rejecting Jesus. When God calls us to step into a situation and help someone, we have a choice to make. We can follow His leading, or we can walk away. And sometimes it can be hard to make the right choice – maybe we’re too busy, too tired, or we just don’t want to get involved. We could make all kinds of excuses. But how would our attitude change if it was Jesus standing in front of us, asking for help? Having compassion alone won’t save us. We also have to accept the salvation that Jesus bought for us. When we do that, and allow our hearts to be aligned with His, compassion will be a natural consequence.
