Compassion

“A Jewish man … was attacked by bandits. They … left him half dead … A priest came along … he crossed to the other side of the road … Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him.” – Luke 10:30-33 NLT

Born in Switzerland in 1850, Eugène Burnand grew up in a Christian home. He knew the Bible but also became an accomplished artist. Combining these interests, he became dissatisfied with the way others illustrated biblical scenes.

He turned his attention to The Parables. In a project taking three years to complete, he finished 84 paintings associated with 72 parables of Jesus. Burnand exercised great care to bring each parable to life.

His approach is clear in a series of paintings illustrating the story of the Good Samaritan. In the first drawing, Burnand pictures the barren environment. In this story, a man was attacked and left for dead. We see how dangerous it must have been to walk down these paths and how easy it would have been for bandits to hide.

Many passersby had the opportunity to stop and aid the wounded man. But two men with religious backgrounds passed him by, doing nothing.

A second illustration shows a Samaritan lovingly giving the injured man a ride on his donkey. He was from a people known to be enemies of the Jews. Yet he was the one who showed compassion. A third illustration shows the Samaritan paying an innkeeper with directions to care for the injured man.

Think about the impact of these stories. Ask God to give you compassion for the people He brings into your life. Always be ready to show God’s love.

Reflection Question: To whom can you show compassion today in a special way?