Call for compassion

[h5463]

The call of a pastor is compassion. Without compassion we may be a good Bible teacher but not pastor. Compassion made Jesus different from the Pharisees. To be like Jesus as pastor, we are called for compassion. It is the core of pastoral identity and ministry. It distinguishes pastorate from professionals. It’s hard to train compassion. It is not learned. It is a scare and mysterious call. It is the way we know God and Christ.

After years of practice in the pastoral ministry, I find my feeling toward the sheep is no longer the same. In the beginning, I believed I am a loving pastor. But now I am losing patience. There is a long-time church brother with genetic issue of disability, trying to connect me on Facebook. He is a kind of person you don’t want to give “like� on Facebook for his remarks. He has very few friends in his whole life. He envies everyone. He is not happy. As a pastor I should love him but I can’t. I saw him as a heavy brother I don’t want to carry. I told myself, “I have enough trouble my own. I am not his pastor. He should go to find a pastor his own. “ I totally forget the compassion I received from others through Christ. I am becoming a career pastor, a religious professional. I am tired. Suddenly he chatted with me on Messenger today. I was reluctant to answer. He just wanted to say hi. I knew it. But I was afraid to face his lifetime disability and his endless complaining. Eventually I said hi back to him for some reasons. And we chatted for the first time after one or two years. God gave me a story I never told him, “The rich man and Lazarus� in Luke. I hope he will have hope, even though he could never get married and have a "normal life " like me and others. I hope he believes God is fair in the end of the day, and cares him, even though his friends like me may be too tired to listen. He said I have been good to him since young. He will never forget me. And I was speechless.

I don’t know when and how my full compassion will return. But I know next time when he leaves a message I will reply with no doubt. Pastoral compassion is to know Christ is the real one carrying His heavy brother, and the provider/pastor himself or herself.