The Bible has been unjustly criticized for stating that believers living in Daniel’s Seventieth Week could be “beheaded for the witness of Jesus.”
It was said that Peter’s death would “glorify God.” Obviously, it is not only necessary to glorify God in one’s life but also possible to glorify God in death.
Many of man’s traditions are in direct opposition to scripture. God’s servants who have pledged allegiance to the scripture cannot in good conscience accept these unscriptural traditions. During the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus, the religious leaders laid aside (Mark 7:8) or rejected (Mark 7:9) the commandment of God in order to hold (Mark 7:8) or keep (Mark 7:9) the tradition of men. By doing so, the Lord said they made “the word of God of none effect” (Mark 7:13). One who loves the Lord examines every tradition through the lens of scripture to ensure that it does not oppose scripture. He does not accept the commandments of men knowing that God is the source of ultimate truth.
Compassion forgives. A familiar parable of the Lord displays this truth. A father had two sons. One stayed home with his family and worked the land, while the other son decided to leave and travel the world. Before leaving, he asked for his inheritance (what he would have received upon his father’s death). Instead of being a wise steward with this inheritance, he foolishly wasted it. Afterward, he found himself broke and starving in the middle of a famine. At this point, he would have willingly eaten the swine’s slop. Finally, he decided to return home even if it meant that he would become a servant rather than a son. As he neared the old homestead, his father saw him coming. His father wasted no time but ran to meet and embrace him. Rather than rebuking his son, the father welcomed him back into his home with a renewed relationship.
The Lord expects His followers to demonstrate the same compassion that He has for His creation. Perhaps, the best biblical example is the Samaritan mentioned in Luke chapter 10. The story begins with a man who took a journey to Jericho. On his way, evil men robbed and wounded him. As he struggled for his life, lying on the ground, a priest passed by him. The priest saw the man but passed on the other side. A Levite came and did likewise. Then a Samaritan (a person who was partly Jewish yet bitterly despised by the Jewish people) approached the man in need. Unlike the others, this man stopped and helped the injured man. He bound up the wounds, placed the man on his beast and took him to an inn. He paid for the inn and offered to pay any additional expenses.
God is a compassionate being. The earthly ministry of Christ repeatedly demonstrated this truth. In Luke chapter 7, the Lord entered into a city only to find that a widow (a woman whose husband died) had just lost her only son to death also.It was a very sad time for this dear lady. The loss of her husband had been hard to bear, but her son was a daily reminder of the husband whose love she treasured so greatly. Yet, now the son too was gone. Perhaps the young man worked to help support his mother, but now she was alone without her husband and without their son. Fortunately for this woman, God is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4). He intervened on behalf of the woman bringing her son back to life. Her tears of mourning (Luke 7:13) turned into tears of joy.
