All About Compassion
Hi Friends,
I am writing today about three visions. Two are messages for all of us, and the third was for the confirmation of a divine appointment. God is faithful, and everything he does is perfect. We are so blessed to know him, so we hope and pray that by our actions and our love that many more will come to know him!
These are the visions:
The Mouse
I saw a small brown mouse with a long tail look up at me. I wondered if he was hungry.
The White Plate
Next I saw a white plate with just a few bits of food. It appeared to be mostly pieces of bread or cracker crumbs.
The Leg
In the vision, I saw the lower portion of a leg and part of a foot. The leg was covered in a red rash made of tiny, densely packed red dots, smaller than the head of a steel pin. The rash covered the entire lower leg between the ankle and the knee.
What I believe the visions mean:
The Mouse
The vision of the brown mouse is really about compassion. In the cartoons years ago, when a lady saw a mouse, she would scream, and jump on a chair, as if the small furry animal was a ferocious beast. Of course it seemed funny to us as children. But I believe that the mouse looked up at me, because he wanted something.
I believe that the mouse represents those in life that just want to be acknowledged. There are a lot of hurting people that go through life, not knowing if anything will ever change for them. They may have never had someone who will give them time, and listen to what they have to say. Many people are dismissed as weird, strange, uninteresting, not worthwhile…. But God loves them, just as he loves you.
If you saw a small brown mouse, what would you do? Would you see him as a threat and chase him with a broom? Would you set traps for him with the intention of killing him? We must consider that a mouse is a rodent who chews everything, drops his feces at will, and can potentially carry disease. That is how most of us react to a small brown mouse.
But what if this mouse instead was a homeless man or woman who was dirty, smelly, sickly, or a drug addict whose behavior was abnormal? Would we ignore him? Would we run from him as quickly as possible? What does your heart tell you? Do you have the love of Jesus in your heart for others? Do you respond with compassion or with a cold shoulder? Do you feel repulsed? Overwhelmed? Or fearful of being inconvenienced? Are we quick to respond with, “It’s not my job. Let’s leave this to the professionals.”
There are too many suffering people who have been chased away with the broom. We should be the healers. “Bless are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7
In the story of the Good Samaritan, the Levite, and the priest walked on the other side of the street to avoid helping a man that was robbed and beaten. Even though as “men of God,” they should have shown compassion for this poor man and fellow Jew, yet they did not. But it was a man, a Samaritan, considered an enemy of Jews that took pity on him and made sure that he was given the proper care.
The Lord wants us to show mercy, and so he will place people in our lives that will test our hearts.
I was also reminded of the story of Lazareth, a lame man who sat begging at the gate of a rich man’s estate. The Lord’s parable teaches us the importance of being loving, compassionate and generous.
Lazareth and the Rich Man
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
“‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” Luke 16:19-31
This was the Lord’s parable. What was the point that he was trying to make? We somehow have dismissed the importance of caring for the poor and the less fortunate. We have compartmentalized our lives so that we think—”It’s not my calling, we have the government to take care of the poor, and we have psychologists and social workers to take care of those with mental and emotional problems. I am called to …..” If our hearts are not aligned with God’s, then we will miss the point. The Lord is teaching us that if we show no care and concern for others, then the Lord will show no mercy or compassion towards us.
However, when we become born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, our hearts are changed. We see everything with new eyes. We are filled with the Lord’s love for people and have the desire to see everyone come to know him. We have more patience, and compassion. God gives us a measure of wisdom and understanding. And with his gifts we are able to help others. What a wonderful plan he has for us: “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
But even as Christians, we are given freewill. So we can exercise our freewill to bring God glory or we can succumb to fear or allow ourselves to be selfish, and ignore the Holy Spirit leading. If we harden our hearts to others, we grieve the Holy Spirit and become like the rich man, who showed no compassion to Lazareth. When we choose to follow the desires of our hearts and place our needs and wants ahead of others then when we need to be shown mercy, as the rich man did at the time of his death, none will be given. This is Jesus’ story in red letters. I think we need to pay attention.
“Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:12
“The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” Proverbs 9:10
And, Solomon’s words of wisdom: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14
The Plate with Crumbs
This vision came immediately after the vision of the mouse. I saw a white plate with a few crumbs of bread. As I looked at the crumbs, I knew that they were exactly what the mouse needed.
Just like most of us, I love bread and I almost never leave crumbs of bread on a plate. But I knew that the crumbs were there to share. What is nothing but a scrap to me was a feast to a mouse.
The Lord wants us to trust in his provision. He will purposefully bless us so that we can be a blessing to others. I want to share a part of Isaiah 58 because it speaks of God’s heart and how he wants and expects us to share what we have been given. Please read this passage carefully to really hear and understand the heart of God:
“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.
Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: ‘Here am I.’” Isaiah 58:3-9
The Lord has compassion for people. He knows our needs and desires, and is more than willing to supply those needs. After having fed the 5,000 people on one occasion, Jesus fed 4,000 more on another occasion:
Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand
“During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”
His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”
“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied.
He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. About four thousand were present.”
Mark 8:1-9
The Lord’s miraculous provision shows us that when we are willing to share whatever we have, he will make sure that it is enough, and more than enough! If we are stingy, and only see to our own needs, then we will miss the opportunity to experience the power of God. When we trust him and allow him the freedom to move on our behalf, or on behalf of someone else, miracles can happen!
What is also remarkable is that when we see the hand of God in action, our trust in him grows so that we can believe him for even greater things. And it all starts with just a pinch of faith: “And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” Luke 17:6
So Let us grow our faith. Let’s ask the Lord for opportunities to step out and pray with expectation. God will back us up when we pray with the right motives. (Note that selfish prayers are not powerful prayers, for the Lord does not want to indulge our flesh.)
“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:3
But when compassion overtakes us, and the Holy Spirit gives us supernatural faith to believe him for a miracle, we will know that he is with us! In these powerful moments, let us declare those things that are not, as though they were. “As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations." This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were.” Romans 4:17
Let us declare healing, restoration, provision, and solutions to difficult problems, for by our faith and declaration we will see the lame walk, the dead raised, and the blind see. Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and he will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14:12-14
So by acting in faith and trusting in him, we will do these greater works: “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10
If we are people of compassion, and truly love everyone, then we will be concerned for the total person: body, soul and spirit. When we love people we will have a deep desire to see them set free. Not only is It important to meet a person’s material, physical or emotional needs, but at the very heart of people’s many issues is the need for salvation and deliverance. And yet, a demonstration of the Spirit’s power as in a supernatural healing, a person who was resistant to the gospel message, is overwhelmed at the love of God, can then receive salvation in the name of Jesus. So, let’s pray for people’s needs, but also share the gospel, for there is no greater gift than the gift of salvation. Remember that the Lord does not want even one soul to be lost!
A Leg
I want to share a wonderful story of healing and compassion. We were in Florida just two weeks ago, visiting my sister and her husband. One evening we were at a park where there were a couple of food trucks. My sister and I noticed a Christian “fish” emblem painted on one of the trucks, so we knew that they were Christians. After having a terrific meal and a walk around the lake we were getting ready to leave. My husband stopped to speak with the people with whom he had spoken earlier. They were the owners of the food truck. So as we were heading towards the cars, my husband stopped us and asked us to pray for one of them. The woman who operated the food truck with her husband had been in a terrible car accident. Her lower leg was so badly damaged that the doctors said that it would be nearly impossible to save it. However, one compassionate doctor was willing to try, and after 12 plus hours of surgery, he saved the leg. Yet infections and other issues caused her to need many, many subsequent surgeries. Her leg certainly did not look very normal, since they had to attach muscles in a very unnatural way. She was able to walk, but was still somewhat deficient in balance. That evening she introduced her friend to us, an intercessor who had “prayed her through.” What a testimony of faith!
We anointed her with the oil that was in my purse, and we prayed for her total healing. She expressed her desire to be able to ride a bicycle, but her balance was not sure. I really believed that the power of God was there to heal her, so with all my heart, I believe that her dream of riding a bicycle would come true. It was a joyful meeting with both tears, hugs and kisses. I know that God was doing something great.
When we Got home, my sister reminded me of the vision of a lower leg, that I had shared with her earlier that day. In the vision, I saw the lower portion of a leg, covered in a red rash, making the leg appear red. It covered the leg from the ankle to the knee. She said, “Do you remember your vision of the leg? Maybe the vision represented this woman’s leg. I think that God had planned this opportunity for us to pray for her.”
“Yes,” I said, “and we had just prayed for God to give us a divine appointment this morning. And the vision showed the same part of the leg that she had that was injured.”
God is good. His ways are perfect! We don’t know if she can ride a bike, since there wasn’t one to test. But I believe that God will, or even has already answered our prayers. Let us make ourselves available to him, and soon we will see more and more miracles! Thank you Jesus! Thank you for all that you do!
So we say “Come Lord Jesus! Maranatha!”
Please share this post with those who need to be encouraged. And, God bless you all!
