Devotions: Lack of Compassion

Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion.”

2 Samuel 12:5-6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

This is King David’s reaction to a true story the prophet Nathan told him about two men. One man was poor and had only one small lamb that was like a child to him. The other man was rich and had many sheep, but when a visitor came to stay he took the poor man’s lamb for his guest’s supper instead of one of his own. David was enraged because the rich man had no compassion, no feeling for the poor man and his family. He was heartless, selfish and cruel. That lack of compassion caused him to act detestably.

God makes a similar declaration against us in Matthew 18, when He explains that He has forgiven us an enormous debt (our sin), but if we do not forgive others for the little they have done to us, we will not be forgiven. Our lack of compassion brings His wrath upon us, for we do not pass on the compassion He has shown to us, as if we deserve it and they do not. God cares greatly about compassion, about His people showing compassion to others. It is an ungrateful heart which receives forgiveness but refuses to bestow it. God wants us to love like He does and that includes having compassion and showing forgiveness. There will be no small consequence for ignoring that command. Be like Christ and have compassion on others.