HALL MONITORS IN THE SCHOOL OF CHRISTIAN MATURITY: PART 1 – COMPASSION

HALL MONITORS IN THE SCHOOL OF CHRISTIAN MATURITY: PART 1 – COMPASSION Colossians 3:12 January 13, 2008 Given by: Pastor Rich Bersett [Index of Past Messages] Introduction Every school seems to have them but nobody really likes them; at least they didn’t when I was in school. Actually for the most part they’re hardly noticed—at least by the good kids; and the not-so-good kids notice them only because they acted . . . not-so-good! They lurk in the hallways and at the doorways. Some are volunteers; others are paid; in many places they are police officers; but then in some places they’re fellow students. I’m speaking, of course, of “hall monitors.” These are the persons we give the responsibility to watch the behavior, traffic and the attitudes in the hallways of our educational facilities. Last year in Japan, the Mitsubishi Company introduced to the schools one of their newest innovations: “Wakamaru” the robotic hall monitor. With electronic gadgetry hard-wired into the small yellow robots, they read students ID’s, interact with the students and actually pick up on disruptive behaviors, sending a message instantly to the principal’s office. What next? Will robots start teaching? I can remember some teachers who lectured like robots… In the New Testament there are lists and reminders of the kinds of character qualities God is building into those who have been reconciled to Him through faith in Christ. The Bible teaches we all are being methodically, systematically changed into the image of Christ through the influence of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God and our fellow believers. These oft-repeated qualities were very evident in the earthly life and ministry of Jesus, and they are brought repeatedly to our attention as a way for us to “monitor” our growth. That is, for example, we are reminded that the fruit of God’s Spirit in us is patience, we are exhorted to be patient and we are shown the benefits of patience. These teachings, then, serve to remind us that we are to expect growth in those areas in our lives, and they remind us to put them into practice as well. So when we read of qualities like faith, hope and love, we can study our lives to see if they are becoming more evident in us. We need these lists of reminders as we grow in our process of becoming more like Christ. One of these frequent lists of character traits appears in Colossians 3. That chapter begins with the words, Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. The apostle Paul then shares a number of the earthly things (attitudes and behaviors) that should be shed from the believer’s life, saying …you used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived…but you have taken off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator… It’s hard to miss the analogy of clothing here. The picture is of someone removing their old clothes—because they’re dirty or no longer stylish—and putting on new, clean, appropriate clothes. We Wear Compassion as Clothing And with that thought introduced we’ve arrived at verse 12. Here is where the description of the new clothes is revealed. And the first item is “compassion.” Colossians 3:12 – Therefore, [because you’ve put on the new self, you are being renewed in the image of Christ] as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion… Compassion – the word the Holy Spirit directed Paul to use was the Greek term, OIKTIRMOU. The same word in its derivatives is used to speak of the compassion Jesus had for people.   It is a genuine, heartfelt sympathy for people who experience needs. But it’s not just pity, an emotion that makes us shake our heads—Tsk, what a shame! This word speaks of moving beyond pity to the point of engagement with the person. But it doesn’t necessarily imply that the compassionate one automatically give the unfortunate one anything he needs. You and I both know that often resources are limited and felt needs are not always the real needs, and to hurry to fill them is not necessarily the best thing for the person. What is biblical compassion? It is sincerely identifying with the hurt of others, ready to respond to needs, just as soon as you know the will of God in the matter. It is being willing to give the time and energy to another, and neither turning from the person in indifference, nor thinking first of your own interests. In 1975 a child named Raymond Dunn, Jr. was born in New York State. The Associated Press reports that at his birth, a skull fracture and oxygen deprivation caused severe retardation. As Raymond grew, the family discovered further impairments. His twisted body suffered up to twenty seizures per day. He was blind, mute and immobile. He had severe allergies that limited him to only one food: a meat-based formula made by Gerber Foods. In 1985, Gerber stopped making the formula that Raymond lived on. Carol Dunn scoured the country to buy what stores had in stock, accumulating cases and cases, but in 1990 her supply ran out. In desperation, she appealed to Gerber for help. Without this particular food, Raymond would starve to death. The employees of the company listened. In an unprecedented action, volunteers donated 100’s of hours bringing out old equipment, getting special approval from the USDA, and the producing the formula--all for one special boy. In January,1995, Raymond Dunn, Jr., known by then as “the Gerber Boy,” died from his physical problems. But during his brief, twenty-year lifetime he called forth a wonderful thing called compassion. We are taught by Christ’s example in the Word and His Spirit in our hearts to fully identify with people’s needs and be ready to help as He leads and provides. How about it, believer? Are you allowing your heart and your life to go places like that? Have you noticed the character of Christ being formed in you in this area? Notice, the Word doesn’t ask us to muster up our best efforts. This is God’s work in us; and all we have to do is allow it, cooperate with it. I saved an article in Reformed Journal from twenty years ago by Robert Roberts. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are, it seems to me, largely fruits of sustained interaction with God. Just as a child picks up traits more or less simply by dwelling in the presence of her parent, so the Christian develops tenderheartedness, compassion, humility, forgiveness, joy, and hope through "the fellowship of the Holy Spirit"--that is, by dwelling in the presence of God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son. And this means, to a very large extent, living in a community of serious believers. Compassion will cost us: emotional energy, time and money. When the Christian puts on the cloak of compassion, he goes another level deeper in his generosity, becoming more like the Lord Jesus. In 1999 author Stephen King was walking along a road near his home in Maine when he was struck by a van and nearly killed. 2 years later he spoke at Vasser College’s commencement ceremony. He told the story of his accident, saying “I had a MasterCard in my wallet, but when you’re lying in the ditch with broken glass in your hair, no one accepts MasterCard.” That day and in the following months, he said, he got a painful but important insight into many of life’s simple truths: “We came in naked and broke. We may be dressed when we go out, but we’re just as broke.” Of all the power most Americans have, King said, “the greatest is undoubtedly the power of compassion, the ability to give. We have enormous resources in this country…but they are only yours on loan, only yours to give for a short while. I want you to consider making your lives one long gift to others, and why not? All you have is on loan anyway. All you want to get at the getting place, from the Maserati you dram about to the retirement fund some broker will try to sell you, none of that is real. All that lasts is what you pass on. The rest is smoke and mirrors. We are to wear compassion like clothing. I read not too long ago that Tiger Woods signed a contract with Nike for over $100 million—allegedly the richest endorsement deal in sports history. Woods is a head-to-toe Nike man—footwear, pants, shirts, gloves, hats and even Nike golf balls. Believers dress head-to-toe with Christ’s wardrobe: clothe yourselves with compassion. Compassion is not only what we wear like clothing; it is also our Calling Verse 10 said we are being renewed in the image of our Creator. To this we are called—to become more and more like Jesus. As such, we have it in our hearts to want to be compassionate like Jesus was compassionate. Time and again when Jesus saw people in need it drew out of Him intense compassion. When he saw the crowds he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. [webmasters note: Matthew 9:36] Jacques Monod was a famous French geneticist, Nobel Prize winner and atheist. He theorized that all our destiny—who we are and what we are destined to be and do in our lives was locked up in our genes, which shaped and directed everything. He was on a television program in Toronto with Mother Teresa once. As he explained his theory Mother Teresa sat quietly across from him, eyes closed and hands folded in prayer. The host alarmed by her non-participation and asked her if she had anything to say. “I believe in love and compassion,” she said, and she resumed her posture of prayer. As he was leaving the studio, Monod was heard to mutter, “If I saw much more of that woman I should be in bad trouble!” “I believe in love and compassion.” That is a wonderfully terse summary of our calling as Christians. As is the Golden Rule, “Do to others as you would have them do to you. This sums up the Law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12) But here I must add: the golden rule is of no use to you whatsoever unless you realize it’s your move. Compassion doesn’t just think and feel, it acts. In his autobiography, renowned Christian servant Richard Baxter wrote: When I was a child I was, like most children, afraid of things that go bump in the night. But I told myself (for no good reason) that monsters that lie under beds cannot break through blankets and sheets! By the time I was a teenager I wasn't afraid of what might live under my bed, but I was afraid of what my friends might have to say about the way I combed my hair. What do I fear now? I am afraid, to put it simply, of living a life that doesn't matter. I am afraid of leaving the world exactly as I found it, no different for my having been here. What are things that last forever? Justice, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, and grace are a few. If I want my life to count, to be significant, then I will try to fill it as much as possible with these attitudes and actions. [My constant sickness] made me study and preach things necessary, and a little stirred up my sluggish heart to speak to sinners with some compassion, as a dying man to dying men. Compassion is clothing that we wear, it is a calling in which we are always and increasingly involved. Thirdly, I think We are to use Compassion as a Catalyst I believe that Compassion is not so much to be seen as a behavior as it is a motivation. Once compassion is stirred in a person’s heart there’s no need to have to convince that person to be of help to others. They are driven. Here’s how that works: first we receive compassion from the Lord, then we achieve compassion in our lives, then we conceive it in others. If we try to take them out of order we never quite get compassion done. The book of First John teaches us that we are enabled to love because, and only when, we have experienced God’s love for us in a personal, experiential way. When we come to realize the powerful reality that God, whom we have offended with our sinful thoughts and behavior, looked on us and, knowing our misery and guilt, had compassion on us—enough to offer his own Son as a sacrifice—then and only then may we find sufficient motivation to exercise compassion toward others. Until then we have no eyes to see the real need of others, much less to respond with love and compassion. It was 1944, and Bert Frizen was an infantryman on the front lines in Europe. American forces had advanced in the face of intermittent shelling and small-arms fire throughout the morning hours, but it was quiet. Bert’s patrol reached the edge of a wooded area with an open field before them. Unknown to the Americans, a battery of Germans waited in a hedgerow about two hundred yards across the field. Bert was one of two scouts who moved out into the clearing. Once he was halfway across the field, the remainder of his battalion followed. Suddenly the Germans opened fire, and machine gun fire ripped into both of Bert's legs. The American battalion withdrew into the woods for protection, while a rapid exchange of fire continued. Bert lay helplessly in a small stream as shots volleyed overhead. There seemed to be no way out. To make matters worse, he now noticed that a German soldier was crawling toward him. Death appeared imminent; he closed his eyes and waited. To his surprise, a considerable period passed without the expected attack, so he slowly opened his eyes again. He was startled to see the German kneeling at his side, smiling. He then noticed that the shooting had stopped. Troops on both sides of the battlefield watched anxiously. Without saying a word, this mysterious German reached down, lifted him in his arms and carried him to the safety of Bert's comrades. Having accomplished his self-appointed mission, and still without speaking a word, the German soldier turned and walked back across the field to his own company. No one dared break the silence of this sacred moment. Within moments the cease-fire ended, but not before all those present had witnessed how one man risked everything…for his enemy. Bert's life was saved through the compassion of a man whom he considered his enemy. This courageous act pictures what Jesus did for us. While we were yet sinners, Christ was our enemy, but he willingly died for us. Once any of us truly recognizes the extreme grace of that act of God, we are forever changed. Then, having received compassion, we are free to be compassionate. We Christians are now positioned at the second phase, and can begin to achieve compassion in our lives. In 430 B.C., as that century’s great plague began to wane, the historian Thucydides wrote, “It was in those who had recovered from the plague that the sick and the dying found most compassion.” Jesus said the one who has been forgiven little loves little. Christian growth is a process by which we learn how deeply sinful we were when Christ saved us. Fellow believers, investigate thoroughly the depths from which Jesus brought you out. Humbly and bravely seek to discover the depths of your depravity, and you will love Him so much more. It is in this terrifying discovery that learn we can never live long enough or try hard enough to fully express our gratitude to Him. At the same time we become free to forgive others and be compassionate toward them with the same kind of compassion we have received. The hands will do what the heart dictates. Third, when we begin to exercise even the minutest compassion compared to that which God extended to us, then it is that we truly engage in our calling. It is then that we are gloriously used by God not only to serve others and draw them to Him, but also to conceive in them the same compassion transaction. By God’s grace, they, too, receive and achieve compassion. Our ministry is ultimately to create the same heart climate in others that God created in us, and it is not simply by example. No, it is in demonstrating in small part toward them what God has done for us. Is living a life of compassion important in the plan of God? Oh, yes! It is the perfect will of God that those who have tasted the kindness of the Lord pass along that same grace to others. Author and Pastor Erwin McManus wrote the book, Seizing Your Divine Moment. In it he tells of the time when he was speaking at a youth convention in Florida. He brought his family along for a working vacation. One morning Erwin and his 10-year-old son Aaron walked down to the beach. Although several hundred students were there, most seemed unaware of the physically disabled man who was awkwardly making his way out of the ocean water. The man was a double amputee with specialized crutches. As he attempted to navigate his way back up to the hotel, he fell. He pulled himself up again only to fall a second time. Erwin, pretending not to notice, led Aaron in the opposite direction. He was fairly certain that his son, like most of the people on the beach, had not noticed the man. Erwin's son surprised him by saying, "I have to go help that man." McManus writes, "His words pierced through me, and I stood there paralyzed in my hypocrisy…it was clear that this was Aaron's moment. I had missed mine. His compassion moved him to heroism. While Aaron seized his divine moment, I was stuck in a moment I couldn't get out of." Aaron went down to help the man but was unable to lift him. Several people from the crowd came and worked as a team to get the man up to the hotel deck. Aaron walked back up to his father with tears in his eyes and said, "I couldn't help him. I wasn't strong enough." McManus writes, "He couldn't see that no one would have helped the man if he hadn't taken initiative." Brothers and sisters, we must devote ourselves to wearing the clothing of compassion, making it our calling for life and then conceiving this marvelous compassion in the lives of others. That is why, over and over again, the New Testament reminds and refines, chastens and challenges, rebukes and repeats with words like these in Colossians 3:12 - …as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion… We must pay attention to the hall monitor, and check our hearts. We must learn to excel in the art of compassion within the church family. One woman captured the idea when she said, “We should be so close in the family of God that when you cry I ought to taste salt.” As we conceive compassion in each other’s lives, we are being better equipped for compassion to unbelievers.       [Back to Top]