Compassion over judgment is a phrase that I started repeating over and over in this past Lenten season because my priest’s homilies continuously centered on compassion and judgment.
You see the thing I have learned recently is that judgment causes you to see someone in a narrow-minded way. It does not allow your brain to see other possibilities or reasons why someone does something because judgement clouds your ability to understand the other person.
Have you ever heard of the phrase “clouds my judgment?” This means that if something clouds your view of a situation, it means you are unable to understand the situation fully or judge it properly. Perhaps you might have specific bias or attitude that impacts how you understand something. Therefore, it only allows you one way of seeing things which can be a bad thing that leaves no room for compassion.
Recently, I picked up my Bible and I was not looking for anything in particular so I was just flipping through pages when I stopped at “The Parable of the Good Samaritan.” It reads:
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:29-37, NAB)
The good Samaritan in the parable was compassionate. He did not have a reason to keep him from stopping and helping the half-dead man. In fact, he was moved with compassion at the sight. In other words, the moment his eyes laid on the half-dead man, he was moved with compassion. He did not even waste a second. The others, however, did.
The parable does not tell us why the Priest and the Levite did not stop to help the half-dead man, nor could I ever try to imagine what their reasons were, but I can reflect on the reasons why I would not have stopped to help the half-dead man:
- I can’t do anything to help him.
- Someone else will help them.
- I have somewhere to be.
- I wonder how he put himself in this situation.
- He’s all beat up and bloody. I do not want to get involved with that.
More harshly, I could think something like:
- Well, maybe he deserved it.
Regardless of the thoughts that I could have on why this man was half-dead, knowing or unknowing of what happened, I let them all cloud my judgment instead of being compassionate.
But what if those judgments are true? What if he did deserve it? Doesn’t matter. The good Samaritan did not care what the reasons were for why the half-dead man was in the position he was in. He did not need them to help him determine whether or not to help the half-dead man. This is what loving your neighbor is.
What clouds your ability to show someone compassion? What clouds your ability to show someone mercy? Ultimately, what keeps you from loving your neighbor?
Compassion over judgment.
Mercy over judgment.
Hi Nataly, this reminded me of the verse in James 2:13 – Mercy Triumphs over Judgement.
“For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
Interesting the first sentence in the verse tells us if we are without mercy then we might be shown no mercy. At least that is how I’m reading it. I would like to study this scripture more.
Thank you for challenging us to think about areas in our lives in which we are passing judgement on others, and for encouraging us to be compassionate.
Nataly,
This reminds me of what we disucssed in bible study a few weeks ago. Compassion is equal to grace in that it should be freely given. It does not come at a price, though we treat it like a currency. Excuses are plentiful, though I wille examine where I can make fewer.