COMPASSION INVITES BLESSING FROM GOD.
Bible Reading of the Day: Read Exodus 1:8-17, 20-21.
Verse of the Day: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12, NIV).
Andrea tiptoed into her mother’s bedroom. Mom sat on the edge of her bed, crying. Her hands covered her face and muffled her sobs. Her back was turned to the door, so she didn’t see Andrea as she walked softly to the bed. “Mom?” Andrea whispered. “Are you crying?”
Mom straightened with a jolt. She snatched a tissue out of a box on the bedside table and wiped her eyes and nose. “Andrea!” she said. “When did you come in?”
Andrea didn’t answer. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “What are you upset about?”
Mom wiped her eyes. “Oh, I’m not upset,” she said.
“Yes, you are,” Andrea insisted, “or you wouldn’t be crying.”
Mom shook her head. “I’m not upset or sad.” She patted the bed next to her, motioning for Andrea to sit down beside her. She inhaled deeply before speaking. “I spent the afternoon at the center for handicapped children.” Andrea knew that her mom volunteered several days a month to work with people with handicaps.
“There was a young girl there who’s very badly handicapped.” Mom paused for a moment, then smiled and continued. “She’s had a very hard life. Well, everyone at the center knew that she hadn’t spoken a word in … in a long time. Years, maybe.”
Andrea placed her hand on Mom’s shoulder.
“Anyway,” Mom went on, “today, I fed that young girl lunch; she’s not able to feed herself. Some of the soup dribbled down her chin, and when I…” —Mom lifted the tissue to her mouth and paused for a moment— “when I wiped it off, she said thank you!”
Mom started to cry again, and Andrea’s eyes filled with tears too. Andrea wrapped her arms around her mom and hugged her close.
“That’s really cool, Mom,” Andrea said.
“Yeah, it is,” Mom said. “Isn’t it? It’s just so-so wonderful when something like that happens.” She straightened her back and peered into her daughter’s eyes. “Andrea, when you’re obedient to God in serving other people, he gives you far more blessing than you can ever give someone else.”
TO DISCUSS: How did God reward the Hebrew midwives for their compassion toward the Israelite babies in Egypt? How did God reward Mom for her compassion? Do you think what Mom said is true (“When you’re obedient to God in serving other people, he gives you far more blessing than you can ever give someone else.”)? Has anything like that ever happened to you?
TO PRAY: “Holy and gracious God, may we be clothed in your compassion from head to foot. May we also wear a garment of praise.”
