By Bette Owens
Jude 22 says, “And of some have compassion, making a difference:”The role of the Christian woman is to make a difference in the lives of others; her husband, children, friends, relatives, and even the unsaved.
Some words that describe compassion are tenderhearted, understanding, warm-hearted, merciful and kindhearted. The opposite of compassion would be cruel, hard, hateful, indifferent, mean and selfish. If you look around, you will find compassionate people. I have even met unsaved women that have compassion, but the question is, are they really making a difference? We need to have godly compassion, because that is what makes a difference. A woman who has godly compassion will make a difference in her own life, and in the lives of others. She will make a difference in her marriage, in her children, in her church, at the workplace, and everywhere she goes. Notice that God is compassionate in Psalm 86:15 when He says, “But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” When I think of a compassionate woman I think of a godly woman.
A compassionate Christian woman has a hunger for God. God is her whole reason for existence. God is for Whom she lives. She doesn’t live for the latest fads or fashions, but lives to please God. She really doesn’t care about fame, fortune, or even to be recognized by others. She lives and breathes to serve her Saviour. She has a personal relationship with the Lord, and her whole life is one of pleasing Him. She reads the Word of God and follows It, because It is her guide for life. She hungers and thirsts after the Lord. A compassionate Christian woman cannot go wrong when she is following the Lord. His Word will make her the wife and mother she needs to be. When she follows God’s Word, she will raise her children with a purpose; to follow the Lord and to have a hunger for God. When heartaches and hard times come, it is her hunger for God that keeps her strong and gives her the strength to go on. Psalm 42:1 says, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”
A compassionate Christian woman lives for eternity. God is eternal, and to live for the eternal is godly. She knows that she only has one life to live for Him here in this world. She realizes life here is short, and she has little time to influence those around her. She knows she will not have a second chance to live her life, so she lives her life serving the Lord and putting Him first. She fulfills her daily responsibilities by keeping eternity’s values in view. She realizes that she has so little time that she keeps her love for God and serving Him her number one priority. She knows that keeping God first in her life is what is best for her husband and her children. The compassionate woman can see the eternal picture, while living in a temporary world. She lives her life as if each day is the last day she will be able to do anything that will count for eternity. She understands the verse in James 4:14 where it says, “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
A compassionate Christian woman avoids sin. Although this woman is still tempted by the world and the flesh, she knows God’s boundaries and lives within them. She doesn’t look across the street and desire what others have. She is completely happy and content following the Lord and serving Him. She doesn’t question or doubt God’s Word, but trusts that the Lord knows what is best for her. You will never hear her make a statement such as, “I don’t see what’s wrong with that.” She just accepts what God says and follows it. This compassionate Christian woman will daily make sure that little sins don’t slip in and destroy all the godly and right things in her life. She lives her life with clean hands and a pure heart. She avoids sin so that she can have a close relationship with the Lord and Saviour she loves. She knows what’s right, but knowing isn’t enough for her, she does what is right. Her Christianity isn’t just a head knowledge, but it is a heart knowledge, that makes her put actions to her words. James 4:17 says, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
A compassionate Christian woman loves others. She shows her love by how she lives her life, with a sincere concern for others. She loves not just those who are easy to love, but she does everything she can to influence others for Heaven. She is a testimony to everyone around her by her life and conversation. She makes sure she takes the time to show others how they too can go to Heaven and to share God’s love with them. She doesn’t come across to others as one who thinks she is better, but as one who cares and knows what is worth living for. She has a true compassion for the lost. She seldom thinks of herself and doesn’t have to be first or the center of attention. She quietly works so that people seldom know how much she does to help others. She doesn’t need to be recognized, because that isn’t a condition for her love. She loves others because of the love she has for Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 4:9 says, “But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.”
Is this a description of a perfect Christian woman? No, but it is of a compassionate Christian woman. A compassionate Christian woman doesn’t have boundless energy, superwoman powers, and she isn’t super spiritual. She is just a Christian woman who looks at her daily life as a way of serving God and others. She tries and fails and she is tired at the end of the day. She is often tried and tested, but she is a woman who has seen God work and has been blessed by reading and obeying His Word. She has had answered prayers and has seen God change lives because of her. Her heart is fixed and she is committed to serving God.
A compassionate Christian woman has a hunger for God, lives for eternity, avoids sin and loves others. A compassionate Christian woman will make a difference in the lives of all who meet her. Her life is truly one that makes a difference. We can all be a compassionate Christian woman and make a difference, if we would love and serve the one who makes a difference.
Original article can be found at http://www.oldpathsjournal.com/household-tips/1595-godly-compassions-makes-all-the-difference.html