I chose this picture because it is such a representation of the reality inside of so many hearts. In this picture we see a grown man holding a teddy bear for comfort.
Anyone who does an honest analysis of people will find out that adults are indeed only grown-up children. Both children and adults are dealing with similar issues, and are expressing hopes and joys, excitement and boredom, and frustrations and fears in immature or mature ways. We really aren’t that different from one another.
Furthermore, uneducated and educated adults are dealing with a lot of the same issues too. A deep, honest analysis can’t fail to prove that both uneducated and educated adults are dealing with similar issues, and are expressing hopes and joys, excitement and boredom, and frustrations and fears in more sophisticated or more unsophisticated ways. We really aren’t that different from one another.
Self-righteousness says “I’m better than you.” There are different levels of self-righteousness too: The Gospels reveal that both the Pharisees and Jesus’ disciples displayed self-righteous, holier-than-thou attitudes, but the Pharisees’ attitudes were more extensive, more extreme, and more deeply rooted than were the disciples’. Self-righteousness and Jesus’ kind of compassion can’t co-exist. They are incompatible.
I would like to talk about one aspect of Jesus’ compassion.
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:14-15 (KJV)
Jesus can empathize with us when we struggle with sin because He knows what it is like to be tempted. How thankful we can be that, even though Jesus was tempted, He never gave in to sin. Hallelujah! ❤
What I have come to realize from personal experience, is that self-righteousness flourishes when we do not put ourselves in other people’s shoes. If we think about other people’s experiences mostly through the lenses of our own experiences, we may develop a self-righteous attitude and say and do things that we shouldn’t say or do. Also, if we forget about the experiences we have had where we have felt similarly to those who are struggling, we may also develop self-righteous attitudes and say and do things that we shouldn’t say or do.
All of this is good to remember for us adults as we interact with, especially when we discipline, children. It is possible for us adults to discipline with a self-righteous attitude. All of this is also good for us adults to remember as we associate with fellow adults who have had more or fewer advantages in life, or with those who have made better or poorer choices in life and have reaped the results of their decisions: for better or for worse. Frustration and ridicule have a harder time existing where compassion is present.
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:14-15 (KJV)
My prayer is that we would all allow Jesus to put His compassion in our hearts and that none of us would ever become too proud to understand what this song communicates:
Blessings and courage to all. ❤
Learn and Grow 4ever 