How Compassion Moves Us to Love Our Neighbors As Ourselves

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines compassion as “sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.” As Christians, we image our compassionate God by showing compassion to others. Often in scripture, before God acts to save, heal, or rescue his people, he is moved by compassion. Compassion is a gift from God but we grow in this gift by walking with others — listening to their stories, learning about their struggles, and making an effort to understand what they go through. Unfortunately, in Christian discourse of late, virtues like empathy and compassion have been on the line. In light of this, this article will break down exactly what compassion is in the Bible, discuss the call to love our neighbors as ourselves, and suggest ways in which compassion can move Christians to love our neighbors (and enemies) as ourselves. 

What is Compassion in the Bible? 

If we want to understand compassion in the Bible, we will need to look at the Hebrew and Greek words used for compassion in scripture. The word racham (רַחַם) in Hebrew is translated as “compassion” in our English Bibles. Similarly, in Greek, splagchnon (σπλάγχνον) is one of the words we translate as “compassion.” We’ll look at a few examples of compassion in the Old Testament and the New Testament. 

Examples of God’s Compassion in the Old Testament

The word racham (רַחַם) is closely related to rechem (רְחֵם), the Hebrew word for “womb.” This does not mean that the words “compassion” and “womb” are interchangeable, but there is a connection between how Ancient Israelites understood compassion and the womb. 

What does the Womb Have to Do With Compassion? 

In 1 Kings 3, two women come to Solomon disputing about a child. Both women gave birth within the span of a few days. One child died in the middle of the night, leaving only the living child. However, both women claimed that the living child was theirs. 

Since neither woman would relent, Solomon told his attendants to bring a sword and cut the living child in half and give each woman half of the child. 

1 Kings 3:26 tells us that the true mother of the living child spoke to the king and asked him to give her son to the other woman instead of dividing him in two. 

What led her to do this? She was moved with compassion for her son and didn’t want him to die. Meanwhile, the other woman tried to get Solomon to divide the child in two. 

The woman who had compassion was moved to action because she loved her son. This deep emotional response came from her experience of growing her child in her womb for nine months, giving birth, and nursing him. She would prioritize his well-being over her happiness even if it meant that he had to be raised by another woman. 

Similarly, in Isaiah 49:15, God speaks through the prophet Isaiah and says, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” 

The point of this metaphor is that because of the connection between a mother and her child, it would be highly unlikely for her to have no compassion on her child.

I wrote my master’s thesis on feminine metaphors for God in the Hebrew Bible. The thesis explores this passage in depth. 

If you want to read it, you can do so here: Feminine Language for God in the Hebrew Bible and the Implications for the Image of God in Women

Giving birth to a child leads to deep compassion for that child. This is why the “womb” is the perfect metaphor for compassion. As a mother is moved to compassion for her children, God is compassionate about his people because he created us. 

Exodus 34:6-7: Our Compassionate God 

This is perhaps why God describes himself as compassionate in Exodus 34:6-7. 

When Moses asks God to show him his glory, God proclaims his name to Moses:

Compassion is an attribute of God. 

God’s Concern for His People

Let’s look at another example.

The word compassion is not included in Exodus 2 but this passage is a great example of how God’s compassion for his people moves him to act on their behalf. 

In Exodus 2:24-25, we learn that God heard the Israelites’ groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked on them and was concerned for them. 

Then, in Exodus 3, God reveals himself to Moses and calls Moses to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let the Israelites go. 

Similarly, in Isaiah 54:8, God says,

God allowed Judah to be punished for their sin but his compassion and love towards them moved him to deliver them from the hands of the Babylonians. 

There are so many other examples in scripture about God’s compassion towards his people. As you read scripture, consider looking out for these examples. It will help you to see God’s character more clearly.

Jesus and Compassion in the New Testament

One of my favorite examples of Jesus’ compassion in the New Testament comes from Luke 7:12-17. While approaching the town of Nain, he notices a dead man being carried out of the gate. He was the only son of a widowed woman. 

Luke 7:13 tells us that

Can you guess what word the NIV translates as “his heart went out to her?” The word is splanchnizomai (σπλαγχνίζομαι), a form of splagchnon (σπλάγχνον). It means to have compassion on someone. 

Splanchnizomai is closely associated with the bowels, or inward parts of someone’s body. In ancient Greek culture, the bowels were considered to be the seat of the emotions. This is similar to how today, we view the heart as a metaphor for deep emotion.

What did Jesus do after this? He stopped the procession carrying the dead man out of the town. Then, he spoke to the man and told him to get up. The man sat up and began talking. He raised this man from the dead because of his compassion for the widowed woman! 

Related: Powerful Lessons from Three Unnamed Women in the Bible

Next, in Matthew 15, Jesus was healing and performing miracles near the Sea of Galilee. There was a large crowd around him watching and praising God for the miracles they were witnessing. 

In Matthew 15:32, Jesus calls his disciples and says,

Keep reading in Matthew 15 and you’ll discover that after this statement, Jesus performed the well-known miracle of the feeding of four thousand people. 

In the Old Testament, the Lord moves to act on behalf of his people because of his compassion towards this and in the New Testament, Jesus does the same. 

What does it mean to love our neighbors as ourselves?

Now that we have taken a look at compassion in the Bible, let’s talk about loving our neighbors as ourselves. 

In Matthew 22:36, an expert in the law tried to test Jesus by asking him what is the greatest commandment in the Law. 

What did Jesus say in response? 

He goes on to say that all the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

That’s a big deal. 

With a few exceptions, most of us are deeply concerned for our own well-being. We are committed to making sure that we are happy and healthy. We want the best for ourselves. 

So, what does it mean to love our neighbors as ourselves? It’s simple — we should be as concerned for our neighbors as we are for ourselves.

Related: Why A Biblical Understanding of ‘The Image of God’ Helps Us to Love Others Well

How Compassion Helps Us Love Our Neighbors as Ourselves

Compassion is a deep, emotional response to someone else’s distress that includes a desire to alleviate their pain. In the Old Testament, compassion is associated with a mother’s womb. For mothers, it comes from an identification with their child as their own. Describing God, compassion speaks to God’s love for his creation because he made them. 

Now, here’s the thing — we don’t have to be God to show compassion to God’s creation. Furthermore, we don’t have to be mothers to care for someone as a mother cares for her child. Compassion is a gift that God has given us. 

We grow in compassion towards others through empathy: learning to understand and share in the experiences of those around us. 

If we do not have empathy, we cannot have compassion for others. And, if we cannot be moved to compassion for someone, we might have a really difficult time loving them. Without compassion, we cannot live out the second half of the greatest commandment in the Law and the Prophets. 

Does Compassion Mean We Have to Agree? 

In a Thread about the gospel, Denea Marable highlighted how important it is to meet people where they are, spread the gospel, and treat people with compassion. 

She noted that this doesn’t mean that we have to agree with their life, decisions, or choices. 

I think she made an excellent point. We don’t have to agree with someone in order to show them compassion.

In fact, in 1 Corinthians 5:12, the Apostle Paul writes that it is not our responsibility to judge non-Christians. God will judge those outside the Church. We, on the other hand, are called to righteously judge those within the Church.

Compassion Leads Us to Tell The Truth

This does not mean that we shy away from telling the truth. It would not be compassionate to leave someone in a state of brokenness if we could testify to the truth that God heals. Similarly, we don’t have to ignore someone’s sin in order to be compassionate. But, we speak the truth in love while refusing to let our disagreements alter how we see the image of God in that person. 

Practical Ways to Grow in Compassion

I’ll close the article with a few practical ways to grow in compassion. 

Meet people who are different from you

First, get to know people who are different from you. Don’t just stay in your friend group or local community. Reach out to other people. This can be hard, especially if you’re an introvert. But as you practice sitting with other people and listening to their experiences, you will learn how to have compassion for them.

See people as bearers of the image of God 

Next, focus on seeing other people as someone created in the image of God, even if we disagree with their lifestyle or choices. We get to have compassion towards people we disagree with too. Often, we are so clouded by our disagreement with someone that we forget to see they are a real person whom God loves. 

Get involved with the arts

Finally, get involved with the literature and the arts. The easiest way to learn about other people who might be different from you is by reading books, looking at art, and listening to music that you might not have experienced before. I published a book in 2022 that features the stories of thirty women and their experience with the goodness of God through hard circumstances. If you’d like to read some of their stories, you can do so here.