Spurgeon on Compassion

"She went, and sat her down over against
him a good way off, as it were a bowshot;
for she said, Let me not see the death of
the child. And she sat over against him,
and lift up her voice, and wept.” Gen. 21:16

Brethren, the whole ruin and current, and tenour
and spirit of the gospel influences us to
compassion.

Ye are debtors, for what were ye if compassion
had not come to your rescue?

Divine compassion, all undeserved and free,
has redeemed you from your vain conversation.
Surely those who receive mercy should show
mercy; those who owe all they have to the pity
of God, should not be pitiless to their brethren.

The Savior never for a moment tolerates the
self-righteous isolation which would make you
despise the prodigal, and cavil at his restoration,
much less the Cainite spirit which cries,
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”

No doctrine is rightly received by you if
it freezes the genial current of your Christian
compassion. You may know the truth of the
doctrine, but you do not know the doctrine in
truth if it makes you gaze on the wrath to
come without emotions of pity for immortal souls.

You shall find everywhere throughout the gospel
that it rings of brotherly love, tender mercy,
and weeping pity. If you have indeed received
it in its power, the love of Christ will melt
your spirit to compassion for those who are
despising Christ, and sealing their own destruction.

Charles Spurgeon from the sermon: Compassion for Souls

photo:Israeli boy,
near Cana of Galilee