So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12
“Now I will declare unto you what I did, I saw a man in distress and nakedness in wintertime, and had compassion upon him, and stole away a garment secretly from my house, and gave it to him who was in distress. Do you therefore, my children, from that which God bestows upon you, show compassion and mercy impartially to all men, and give to every man with a good heart.
And if you have not at the time wherewith to give to him that asks you, have compassion for him in bowels of mercy. I know that my hand found not at the time wherewith to give to him that asked me, and I walked with him weeping for more than seven furlongs, and my bowels yearned towards him unto compassion.
Have therefore yourselves also, my children, compassion towards every man with mercy, that the Lord also may have compassion upon you, and have mercy upon you; because also in the last days God sends His compassion on the earth, and wheresoever He finds bowels of mercy, He dwells in him. For how much compassion a man has upon his neighbours, so much also has the Lord upon him.”
Testament of Zebulun, Concerning Compassion and Mercy. 6.7.1 to 6.8.5 (second century BC).
As I have noted the last few days, this Jewish apocalyptic text (Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs) would have been among the literature that shaped the thinking of Jewish Christians in the early church. Today’s excerpt reminds me of the life of Jesus. He showed compassion and mercy to those society deemed least deserving. Conversely, society teach us to judge and extend generosity to those that are deserving.
Listen again to this instruction: “from that which God bestows upon you, show compassion and mercy impartially to all men, and give to every man with a good heart.” That sums up Christian generosity! All we have comes from God, who is the only righteous judge. We are here to show compassion and mercy, so let’s stop judging and start sharing! Would you want others to aid you impartially in crisis? Of course. Go and do likewise with good heart.