Another thing I love is learning the meaning of words and word origins. (Medical terminology was fun, too!) Sometimes there are words we use every day and don't know the correct meaning or context of them. Take gesundheit for example (as we sometimes say when someone sneezes). I used to think it just meant "God bless you" but that's not quite accurate. It is German in origin and means literally "health-hood" or to have good health. It used to be a more common belief that the soul left the body when one sneezed, opening up the possibility of ill health to enter, hence the wishing of one's good health or the blessing of God to be bestowed upon the person.
I have gained some new perspective on a couple words and wanted to share them with you.
Compassion
What is compassion to you? I would generally say it is being kind-hearted, or that you have a desire to do something nice for someone else. A Bible verse that I've used often (especially in training our children) has been Ephesians 4:32 - Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Many uses of compassion and compassionate in the Bible refer to God's character towards us. Oh, may we be more like Him! During a recent Bible study as well as a more recent sermon, I have come to have some new thoughts about this word.
Did you know that the Greek word for compassion translates "being moved in the bowels?" "Turning of the bowels" was another way I heard it defined. For those who may not know, your bowels are your intestines - or your gut. There is a belief by some that I think is less common now (maybe just because people don't talk or think about it) that the soul of a person, their spirit, resides in the gut region. When the Holy Spirit lives in someone, it is in this area, too. Think about the saying that we "have a gut feeling" about something.
Compassion refers to the inward feeling of concern, for when we have sympathy or empathy for someone else. I have had this kind of gut feeling for so many people - even people I don't know personally, including Facebook acquaintances of some of my friends/acquaintances, celebrities (one past one being Mary J. Blige - I don't know why; I just know God laid her on my heart for a few days), and people in other countries and cultures, such as those affected by severe droughts and floods that lead to starvation in Africa. If we are followers of Christ, then our hearts should hurt for what and whom God's heart hurts. We should feel this inward, visceral emotion for others. It should not be just a verbal response of "I'm sorry your dealing with that" and we move on with our own selfish thoughts, desires, and ambitions. We should feel it in our gut.
Now, compassion is not meant to just remain an inward feeling. Just as the contents of the bowels are not meant to remain in the bowels, neither is compassion meant to remain inside us. It is something that should be acted upon. Some say kindness is the outpouring of compassion, or "compassion in action." One way to think about it that my pastor, Jared Allen, shared was "love with its work clothes on." So, what do you do with the compassion you feel? Do you stuff it down because it is uncomfortable? It would take time, energy, and possibly money to help this other person or persons, wouldn't it? So, sometimes it gets stuffed. But what could be done instead?
We all have different skills and resources available to us, but we should pray about it and find a way to use them. (Please pray first - don't step out on your own without prayer!) Sometimes prayer is the gift that you can offer - but make sure it is sincere. If you say you are going to pray for someone, find ways to ensure that you will. Pray for them immediately, set an alarm, put a note where you'll see it, or find some other way to make sure you follow through. Let your words be true. Maybe you can show support in another manner. If led by the Lord to supply another need, then I hope your love will put its work clothes on!
One side note would be that not everyone who has a sad story and on whom you feel compassion needs or wants help. There are times when we need to stand back and let God do His own work within them. There are times when we decide that they need to deal with the consequences of their own actions without help from others, but this needs to not be our own human decision. We need to allow God to decide that, not us. But prayer can always be offered. Again, your prayer before jumping into action is very important! You need to ask God how He wants you to be involved before you decide to act (or not act) on your own decision, because it could be more detrimental than beneficial.
Circumcision
Circumcision can sometimes be an uncomfortable word to talk about. It is a word that invokes thoughts of pain and discomfort, as well as encroaching into the private life of another. It is not one that many people talk about openly. As such, if you are unfamiliar with this word or would like to know more about its meaning and history, I'd rather let you do your own research, if you are so inclined.
A good starting place for us now would be to point you to the first circumcision mentioned in the Bible, which is in Genesis 17. Abram was told that every male should be circumcised as a sign of the everlasting covenant between God and them. I have to admit that I always wondered how it would be a sign to others of their covenant relationship, because it would have been covered or hidden, right?
As is pointed out elsewhere in the Bible (Romans 2:28-29, Galatians 6:12-15) what is most important is a circumcision of the heart, not of the body. (It should go without saying, but I'll say it anyway - this applies to women as well as to men.) It refers to living a new life in Christ Jesus and getting rid of the old ways (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Let's draw some lines of similarity between a physical circumcision and a spiritual circumcision. First, something is cut off. Spiritually, we must cut ourselves off from a life lived without Jesus as our savior, guide, and, well, in lack of a better word at the moment - boss. We must cut off all the sins that encumber our lives and are displeasing to God. Second, circumcision requires time to heal. You can't expect changes to be pain-free, easy, and quick. Yes, some might be that way, but more likely than not, they will be hard and they will hurt at some level. Third, there is symbolism of the change. Spiritually, baptism is a symbol of someone's decision to live the rest of their life with and for Jesus. As my pastor said, "Baptism is not necessary for salvation but it is necessary for obedience." It is an act of obedience that every believer is called to do as a symbol to others. As my pastor also pointed out, it's like wearing a wedding ring does not make you married. Baptism should also be a symbolic reminder to ourselves, just as a physical circumcision would have been a personal symbolic reminder of God's covenant with the Jews. Each Jewish male carried around his own personal reminder of God's covenant. (2 Peter 1:12-15).
Conclusion
I hope that this word study has provided some new thoughts for your own life and walk with Jesus as it did for me. I pray that you'll be compassionate and put your compassion in action. Let it wear its work clothes. I pray that you'll have a moment of introspection and consider the circumcision of your heart. Have you had a full circumcision and have you followed through with baptism? How can you remind yourself daily of your life with and in Christ instead of living for yourself or the world? May you be aware of God's blessings upon your life today.
References: (just a brief listing - please forgive that this is not a complete bibliography)
The Holy Bible (NIV); The Gospel Project, Vol. 8 (Summer 2017), Session 8; merriam-webster.com; sermons by Jared Allen (7/23/17 and 8/13/17).
Compassion refers to the inward feeling of concern, for when we have sympathy or empathy for someone else. I have had this kind of gut feeling for so many people - even people I don't know personally, including Facebook acquaintances of some of my friends/acquaintances, celebrities (one past one being Mary J. Blige - I don't know why; I just know God laid her on my heart for a few days), and people in other countries and cultures, such as those affected by severe droughts and floods that lead to starvation in Africa. If we are followers of Christ, then our hearts should hurt for what and whom God's heart hurts. We should feel this inward, visceral emotion for others. It should not be just a verbal response of "I'm sorry your dealing with that" and we move on with our own selfish thoughts, desires, and ambitions. We should feel it in our gut.
Now, compassion is not meant to just remain an inward feeling. Just as the contents of the bowels are not meant to remain in the bowels, neither is compassion meant to remain inside us. It is something that should be acted upon. Some say kindness is the outpouring of compassion, or "compassion in action." One way to think about it that my pastor, Jared Allen, shared was "love with its work clothes on." So, what do you do with the compassion you feel? Do you stuff it down because it is uncomfortable? It would take time, energy, and possibly money to help this other person or persons, wouldn't it? So, sometimes it gets stuffed. But what could be done instead?
We all have different skills and resources available to us, but we should pray about it and find a way to use them. (Please pray first - don't step out on your own without prayer!) Sometimes prayer is the gift that you can offer - but make sure it is sincere. If you say you are going to pray for someone, find ways to ensure that you will. Pray for them immediately, set an alarm, put a note where you'll see it, or find some other way to make sure you follow through. Let your words be true. Maybe you can show support in another manner. If led by the Lord to supply another need, then I hope your love will put its work clothes on!
One side note would be that not everyone who has a sad story and on whom you feel compassion needs or wants help. There are times when we need to stand back and let God do His own work within them. There are times when we decide that they need to deal with the consequences of their own actions without help from others, but this needs to not be our own human decision. We need to allow God to decide that, not us. But prayer can always be offered. Again, your prayer before jumping into action is very important! You need to ask God how He wants you to be involved before you decide to act (or not act) on your own decision, because it could be more detrimental than beneficial.
Circumcision
Circumcision can sometimes be an uncomfortable word to talk about. It is a word that invokes thoughts of pain and discomfort, as well as encroaching into the private life of another. It is not one that many people talk about openly. As such, if you are unfamiliar with this word or would like to know more about its meaning and history, I'd rather let you do your own research, if you are so inclined.
A good starting place for us now would be to point you to the first circumcision mentioned in the Bible, which is in Genesis 17. Abram was told that every male should be circumcised as a sign of the everlasting covenant between God and them. I have to admit that I always wondered how it would be a sign to others of their covenant relationship, because it would have been covered or hidden, right?
As is pointed out elsewhere in the Bible (Romans 2:28-29, Galatians 6:12-15) what is most important is a circumcision of the heart, not of the body. (It should go without saying, but I'll say it anyway - this applies to women as well as to men.) It refers to living a new life in Christ Jesus and getting rid of the old ways (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Let's draw some lines of similarity between a physical circumcision and a spiritual circumcision. First, something is cut off. Spiritually, we must cut ourselves off from a life lived without Jesus as our savior, guide, and, well, in lack of a better word at the moment - boss. We must cut off all the sins that encumber our lives and are displeasing to God. Second, circumcision requires time to heal. You can't expect changes to be pain-free, easy, and quick. Yes, some might be that way, but more likely than not, they will be hard and they will hurt at some level. Third, there is symbolism of the change. Spiritually, baptism is a symbol of someone's decision to live the rest of their life with and for Jesus. As my pastor said, "Baptism is not necessary for salvation but it is necessary for obedience." It is an act of obedience that every believer is called to do as a symbol to others. As my pastor also pointed out, it's like wearing a wedding ring does not make you married. Baptism should also be a symbolic reminder to ourselves, just as a physical circumcision would have been a personal symbolic reminder of God's covenant with the Jews. Each Jewish male carried around his own personal reminder of God's covenant. (2 Peter 1:12-15).
Conclusion
I hope that this word study has provided some new thoughts for your own life and walk with Jesus as it did for me. I pray that you'll be compassionate and put your compassion in action. Let it wear its work clothes. I pray that you'll have a moment of introspection and consider the circumcision of your heart. Have you had a full circumcision and have you followed through with baptism? How can you remind yourself daily of your life with and in Christ instead of living for yourself or the world? May you be aware of God's blessings upon your life today.
References: (just a brief listing - please forgive that this is not a complete bibliography)
The Holy Bible (NIV); The Gospel Project, Vol. 8 (Summer 2017), Session 8; merriam-webster.com; sermons by Jared Allen (7/23/17 and 8/13/17).
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