“Blessed are the compassionate, for they will be shown compassion.”

(Matthew 5:7)

“Blessed are the merciful,” most of us are probably used to hearing when this verse comes before us. The Greek words that Jesus uses here are ἐλεήμων (ele-amon) and its verbal cognate, ἐλεέω (ele-eo). They convey the notion of showing mercy, compassion, and sympathetic care. Mercy is not accomplished simply by giving money to a person, as someone might do with a homeless person standing on a street corner begging. Mercy also includes the kind of love and care that shows a person that they have dignity, no matter what it is that they have done (or failed to do). Mercy conveys to a person that we care about them as well as their condition. In addition, it conveys that we are willing to share in their sorrow or suffering if that is needed as part of caring for the individual. Hence, my choice in translation is “compassion,” which comes from the old Latin term, compassio: “to suffer with.”

Yet, not only is the individual to be compassionate with others, so to must the church show compassion. Benevolence budgets are of great importance, but they are far more effectively used when members of the church commit their time caring for those in the community who are in need of compassion. In this, funding is joined with time and mercy to engage the people around us with the kind of care they need, which, in turn, earns us the right to share the Gospel — the reason for the care we are showing. For indeed, as Christians, we do not show compassion because we are great and noble people. We show compassion because Christ has first shown compassion to our filthy, sinful souls. 

Please note that there is an important principle here at work for the life of the church. Many churches approach benevolence like a government program: throw money at people and leave them to fend for themselves. The money functions like a bandaid but no healing takes place and there is no opportunity to share the Gospel in a meaningful way. Theology and practice must go hand in hand. If you are “getting your theology right,” then you will be living that theology out in the world in meaningful ways — in compassionate ways. Many churches get their doctrine right on paper but don’t live out that doctrine in compassion. That means that they get their doctrine wrong. Other churches live lives of compassion, but their doctrine is a mess. That is also not compassionate because there is no truth being offered to guide that person in life. It must be an and-both: faith and practice. The church of Jesus Christ must excel at living out what it is that they profess to believe lest they become theologically impotent hypocrites.