In light of what the Apostle Paul commands in Eph. 4:32, here are some questions to see where we are at with regards to exemplifying compassion: Generally speaking, are you able to enter in to another person’s plight even if their circumstances are the direct result of their sin or do you judge them in your heart with the thought that it’s good that they got what they deserved?
That begs the question: Do we want God to give us what we really deserve? Do we want God to withhold compassion and give us what our sins have earned? Here’s where we need help: When you are wronged by another in the body in Christ, how can you get past the personal offense in order to have a compassionate response for the offender? In other words, what are some of those thoughts that need to occur to cultivate this affectionate pity towards others?
-the sin is much more grieving to God than it is to you and he is not going to take revenge on a Christian;
-in terms of God’s glory, it “harms” God much more than it does you;
-if the person who sinned does not repent, then God’s discipline will be far more on target than any action we could take;
-if God were to show us a scorecard of our own sin, we wouldn’t dare be angry about someone else’s;
-we know what sin does in our own lives—hinders our relationship with God; damages relationships with others; defames Christ and brings appropriate guilt.
-we desire compassion from others regarding our sin;
-we have no right to and are disobedient if we judge or take vengeance, since there is only one Judge and Avenger;
In the end, we must realize and constantly review that God has treated us incredibly better than what we deserve because of what someone else, namely Christ, did on our behalf; therefore we should treat others better than what they deserve. In that way we will have true compassion on others.