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John 11:32-35, 43 (GNB)Mary arrived where Jesus was, and as soon as she saw him, she fell at his feet. "Lord," she said, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died!" Jesus saw her weeping, and he saw how the people with her were weeping also; his heart was touched, and he was deeply moved. "Where have you buried him?" he asked them. "Come and see, Lord," they answered. Jesus wept. *After he had said this, he called out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"
Our ability to effectively minister and be a blessing to others is largely tied to our ability to understand precisely what such people are experiencing. This is one of the reasons why God allows us to go through trials and challenges. For Jesus to effectively save us, He had to become human like us, Heb.2:14-15. He went through every kind of temptation that we will ever have to go through, Heb.4:15. Everything Jesus went through was intended to make Him a perfect redeemer for us, Heb.2:10.
It is one thing to understand what someone is going through and it is another to understand the ability that God has given you in Christ to help that person emerge from the situation. Jesus was touched and moved by how people were responding to Lazarus’ death. In the midst of his compassion, He mightily manifested the power of God by raising Lazarus from the dead. Your position of power should not stop you from expressing empathy and being compassionate.
Remember that spiritually mature people do not condemn the weak. Instead, they gently strengthen and restore them. They manifest Christ to others by bearing their burdens, Gal.6:1-2. They manifest a balance of humanity and divinity and a balance of both the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit. They wholeheartedly pursue God’s mission to save and redeem all who will believe.
PRAYER: Heavenly father, I ask that you help me to always manifest both Your compassion and power in the same way that Jesus did.
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