Comfort - v. To make someone feel lessworried or upset.

Compassion - n. A feeling of sympathy for and a desire to help someone who is suffering.

SCRIPTURE

Psalm 119:50
My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.

Psalm 119:76-77
Mayyour unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Let your compassioncome to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.

Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

(personal note: I have just read the above verse for probably the first time since I was a child....... I find that it is the very definition of the calling I have received... and it warms my heart).

2 Corinthians 7:6-7a
But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him.

Psalm 103:13
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.

Psalm 145:8-9
The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all;hehas compassion on allhe has made.

Matthew 15:32
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. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."

Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.

Colossians 3:12
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,humility, gentleness and patience.

1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

See also: Matthew 9:36; 14:14

Think of a time when someone showed you compassion when you were down or needed help. How did he help you? How did his compassion make you feel? Did that person have to do or say what he did?

Christ says to "Clothe yourself with compassion" (Colossians 3:12). Our goal should be to show compassion as Christ would... He set a perfect example to us of compassion every day he walked here, and the ultimate compassion for us on the cross.

Some suggestions in the bible study book I have to help you prepare to be more compassionate and giving of comfort are:

Keep bottles of water in your car ready to be used in giving to others when the opportunity presents itself. I'm sure you can think of times when you might use this opportunity... (a beggar with a sign that reads will work for food, a worker in the heat, a solder --- as someone gave to my husband on the day of his grandfathers funeral a few years ago as we stopped in a service station... I can't tell you what that did to his heart).

Visit a nursing home, take homemade gifts

Save money each month and sponsor a child (you can use a coin jar to do this). Get your child involved by having them draw pictures or make small art projects to mail to the child.

Tip:
Teaching your child to show compassion to those in need is an excellent way to help her keep a balanced perspective on the difference between want and need.

Write letters to soldiers overseas.

Send care packages... not just at Christmas, but all year through.

May God bless you all through His abundant comfort and compassion in your time of need!!!
Amy

Very good post!

One thing my kids remember from when they were little (about 4 & 7 at the time) and we lived in VA Beach. We were super tight on money at the time and I received $50 in the mail. We really could have used that, but temps were going to drop low that week. WalMart had blankets on sale for $5 a piece and I took the kids to buy 10 blankets. Then we went to a homeless shelter and I had the kids give them the blankets. They were to be given to anyone who needed one and to be kept, not turned back in to the shelter before leaving. They still mention that to this day.

I've also taught them to stand up for the little guy. Last April while in Dayton for WGI Championships my daughter called me at my hotel and said I might have to come pick her up. There was a boy in the guard who has a pretty bad home life. One of the girls started in on him and Mandi took exception to that and dressed this girl down in no time at all. She was still livid when she called me about it all. LOL I didn't care if the instructor didn't like it, my kid took the high road and stood up for someone who needed it. I was right proud of her. She didn't get in trouble with the staff so I did not have to go get her.

My family has watched me give of myself time and time again when I saw someone needed help. I've given to the point of being burned a few times helping out, but I keep doing it. I know it is the right thing to do. It's part of my calling in life you could say. I'm here to help others in any way I can. It's just something I'm lead to do here on earth.

I pray that my kids have learned from it and will do the same in their own way.



Mom