| Compassion that Compels We were very blessed to have our guest speaker on Sunday, the 20th. Peter Pinto did a magnificent job presenting the topic of compassion and its importance. As he was speaking, it reminded me of a powerful situation I experienced a few years back. As we were starting a ministry back around 2010, we made a connection with a Spanish-speaking church on about 30th and Leavenworth. Pastor Tony Garcia had a church in the Park Avenue neighborhood in Omaha. They had a separate building in the area that they owned that I had hoped to purchase. I set a lunch meeting with Pastor Tony to discuss it. I found out the building was not for sale, but during our conversation, he invited us to their Wednesday evening evangelism class, led by Miguel. I was disappointed about the building, but this was a good opportunity because we had little to no experience in evangelism. The following Wednesday, I arrived early at the church to check out the class. After entering the church, I sat down in the back and waited for Miguel. I noticed there was a set of stairs on the right side that went down to the classrooms. In the middle were 75 to 100 folding chairs set up in the sanctuary facing the altar. I imagined we would go down to this area for the evangelism class. People began to filter in for the Wednesday evening church service as well. I noticed most would spend time on their knees, pray for a moment, then turn around and sit in the folding chairs. The prayers seemed especially real and focused. In the back, near me, there was a group that gathered as well. They, too, were intensely praying. A bit later a guy came in and people gathered around him. I walked over to introduce myself. Before I could speak, Miguel asked if I was Tom and introduced himself. We spoke about the class starting soon, but he had things to finalize. So, I stood to the side as he and the others were coordinating whatever they were doing. They all gathered for a final prayer spoken in Spanish. Then, for some reason, they all began to leave. Miguel got my attention and said, “Let’s go!” I quickly discovered that the evangelism class was , prayerfully obeying the Lord and going into grocery stores, Walmart, apartments, neighborhoods and anywhere they felt led. Their class was doing the gospel. Miguel was an incredible evangelist, and I had the amazing opportunity to spend time with him. Most of our encounters were in Spanish, but on occasion, I would help a little if there was an American who spoke English only. On one evening, there were five of us who approached a large home turned into apartments. These conversions were quite common in the area. The front door was unlocked, so we walked in. Miguel broke us into two teams. I followed him, and we would cover the 1st floor. The three ladies went to the second level to cover that area. Miguel and I approached five or six doors, entering only one apartment and having a short conversation. We finished quickly, which was unusual. After we completed the last apartment on the first floor, we walked back to an old, dark, stained wooden staircase and waited for the ladies. At one time, this was an exceptionally large, beautiful family home, but it was now a rough conversion with little to no charm. We stood at the bottom of this L-shaped staircase, thinking we would soon move to another building. What happened next is unforgettable. It was one of the greatest examples of the Lord’s compassion I have witnessed. As we waited, we listened to the ladies’ encounter near the top of the steps. They had just knocked on the last door. There, a semi-sober man stood at his door in anger. He loudly rejected them, cursing at them. Instead of reacting in anger or hurt, they stood with him and asked him to reconsider. Their voices trembled softly as they tried to persuade him. I listened to three women begging a sinner to turn and repent. Their hearts were broken for him. They cared deeply about his soul. Jesus cared deeply about his soul. Isaiah 1:18 - “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. This was a compassion I knew nothing of. This is the compassion of Jesus. After a time, maybe ten to fifteen minutes, Miguel looked at me and said with a glance I need to speak to him. He dashed up the steps. I was in shock hearing the man’s voice change. His rage and anger dissipated as his heart softened. Slowly but surely, he listened, received, and believed the gospel. In fifteen to twenty minutes, an angry sinner turned to Jesus, and his eternity changed. As I stood at the bottom of the steps, Miguel and the three ladies began walking down. In that moment I heard in my spirit something that touched my heart, and it does to this day. I looked at each of them, and their faces showed joy with tear-moistened eyes. The Lord spoke to me and said that these ladies are “His gems”. In this world, they are poor migrants worth little, but in His kingdom, they are “His royalty.” Matthew 9:36 - Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. This class for evangelism changed my attitude toward what is possible. I had once believed that this type of ministry was no longer effective. It was easy to make excuses to not step out in faith. Was the love of Jesus strong enough in me to the point that I would step out in faith? Am I ashamed of the gospel? I asked myself these questions. Compassion is like fuel. If we do not have it, we will find it difficult or even impossible to obey uncomfortable circumstances and overcome our fear. The love of Jesus is powerful and effective – just like the Word of God. If we operate in His love, there is nothing we cannot do. Compassion does something in our hearts to the point we forget about ourselves and care about what He cares about – People. The world sees drunks, druggies, and losers, but the Lord sees those He died for and wants to bring them into His kingdom. Does He not deserve the reward of His suffering? Luke 14:23 – “And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.’” This is a big challenge for me. As I have gotten older it's easier for me to say, “I don’t have time” or “that’s not in the budget”. Another excuse is that this is not my gift. But are we not all called to share our faith and participate in the Great Commission in some way? Our callings are unique to a certain extent, but the unique gospel challenge to “Go!” remains. So, let us press into the heart of the Father together. I believe there is still more room so “His house may be filled!” If I am struggling with compassion for others, I simply need to press into the Lord and ask Him to share His heart with me. We need to pray for one another to move in His compassion. He will direct us to our neighbors, our families, our co-workers, and maybe even the highways and byways. If we ask, He will give us the words and process to communicate the gospel truth for each person. In the end, the results are up to Him. Peter Pinto sparked something in me about compassion. The question for me is, what am I willing to do about this? Blessings, Tom and Joy Bollig |