Devotions For Students DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3

   

Devotions For Students   Lesson  2:  Compassion  Revealed    

DAY  1   “Search  me,  O  God,  and  know  my  heart;  test  me  and  know  my  anxious   thoughts.”  ⎯  Psalm  139:23  

  We  all  want  to  be  recognized  for  the  good  things  we  do,  right?  Now,  some   people  want  a  parade  in  their  honor  for  every  good  deed  they  perform.  For   others,  a  simple  “thank  you”  or  word  of  encouragement  does  the  trick.  The   issue  is  this:  What’s  your  motivation  for  showing  love  and  compassion  to   others?       Read  Psalm  139:23-­‐24.     Stop  and  think  about  those  words  for  a  moment.  If  you’re  sincere  in  asking   God  to  do  this,  think  about  what  it  means.  It  might  not  turn  out  very  pretty.   It  might  be  a  little  uncomfortable  and  even  may  sting  a  little.  However,  we   need  our  hearts  and  our  motives  checked  on  a  regular  basis.     So,  take  some  time  and  think  about  how  you  show  compassion  and  mercy   to  others.  What’s  your  motive?  Do  you  do  it  for  applause  or  praise?  Is  it  to   make  you  feel  good  about  yourself?  Or  is  it  out  of  a  desire  to  treat  others   like  Jesus  would  treat  them?       Genuinely  pray  Psalm  139:23-­‐24  and  ask  God  to  help  you  see  where  your   motives  are.  If  they’re  off  a  bit,  seek  him  in  getting  them  back  on  track.     Think  About  This  .  .  .     • Why  is  it  so  easy  to  seek  the  praise  and  applause  of  man?   • How  can  you  go  about  getting  your  motives  in  check?     • How  do  you  go  about  getting  your  heart  set  on  seeking  God?      

 

         

DAY  2   Today  just  spend  some  time  thinking  about  how  Jesus  showed  compassion   to  those  in  need.       Think  about  people’s  physical,  emotional,  and  spiritual  needs.  Just  sit  for  a   moment  and  think  about  how  Jesus  responded  to  them  in  Scripture.  Play   the  situation  out  in  your  head.       How  did  He  treat  them?       How  did  He  talk  to  them?       That’s  it.  Just  take  some  time  and  really  think  about  how  Jesus  loved  and   cared  for  those  around  Him.      

DAY  3   Keep  your  eyes  peeled  today  for  someone  showing  compassion  to   someone  in  need.  When  you  see  it,  think  about  how  that  person’s  day  was   impacted.  Think  about  how  it  encouraged  them  and  made  them  feel  cared   for.       Now,  this  might  take  some  guts  depending  on  how  well  you  know  the   person,  if  at  all.  But  consider  encouraging  the  person  you  saw  show   compassion.  Maybe  it’s  a  word  of  encouragement,  a  text,  or  a  note.       Let  them  know  that  it  encouraged  you.  Maybe  it  will  open  the  door  for   some  cool  conversations  about  showing  Christ-­‐like  compassion  to  others.    

     

 

 

DAY  4  

DAY  5  

“Jesus  answered  her,  “If  you  knew  the  gift  of  God  and  who  it  is  that  asks  you   for  a  drink,  you  would  have  asked  him  and  he  would  have  given  you  living   water.”  ⎯  John  4:10               Let’s  be  honest,  it’s  easier  to  be  nice  to  some  people  than  it  is  others.   Right?  Someone  probably  popped  into  your  head  the  second  you  read  that.   Some  people  are  mean.  Some  are  difficult.  Some  are  just  unpleasant  to  be   around.  Sometimes  it  isn’t  just  individuals,  it’s  groups  of  people  that  we   don’t  want  to  be  around  or  drive  us  crazy.     Read  John  4:1-­‐26.     Jesus  took  the  shortest  route  in  traveling  from  Judea  to  Galilee,  however,   really  strict  Jews  would  have  taken  a  longer  route  to  avoid  going  through   Samaria.  That’s  how  much  they  hated  the  Samaritans.  They  considered  the   Samaritans  “half-­‐breeds”  and  thought  they  would  be  defiled  by  passing   through  that  region.     Think  about  that  for  a  moment.  Now  think  about  how  Jesus  treated  this   woman.  It  wasn’t  just  soft  and  fluffy.  That  isn’t  necessarily  what  compassion   is  all  about.  He  chose  to  engage  the  woman  in  conversation,  which  was  a   huge  deal  at  that  time.  But  He  also  chose  to  talk  to  her  about  her  sin  and   struggles.  Ultimately,  He  pointed  her  to  himself,  which  was  the  most   compassionate  thing  He  could  have  done  for  her.       It’s  easy  to  show  compassion  to  those  we  like.  Think  about  the  people  you   avoid.  Think  about  the  ones  you  don’t  enjoy  being  around.     Think  About  This  .  .  .     • Why  do  you  avoid  certain  people?     • What  makes  it  difficult  to  show  them  compassion?   • How  can  you  be  more  Christ-­‐like  towards  them?    

Showing  compassion  and  mercy  to  people  on  a  consistent  basis  can  be   tough.  We’re  all  selfish  people  at  our  core.  All  sorts  of  things  get  in  the  way   and  cause  us  to  lose  sight  of  how  important  it  is  to  show  Christ-­‐like   compassion  to  others.  In  Lesson  1  we  talked  about  how  Jesus  is  the  ultimate   revelation  of  God’s  compassion.       Grab  a  piece  of  paper  or  make  a  note  on  your  phone  and  take  a  moment   and  write  down  3-­‐5  ways  Jesus  shows  compassion.  Now,  take  a  minute  and   write  down  the  top  3-­‐5  things  that  get  in  the  way  of  you  being  Christ-­‐like  in   showing  compassion.  Look  at  the  two  lists.  How  do  you  move  from  being   wrapped  up  in  the  things  on  your  second  list  to  being  more  Christ-­‐like  and   looking  more  like  the  first  list?