Filled with Compassion

Mark 6:34
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepard. So he began to teach them many things.

Compassion, which means
A Feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune accompanied by a strong desire to aleviate the suffering.

This is what Jesus had. It kinda sounds like a disease doesn't it? Well, it's supposed to be. It's an incurable disease that never goes away, but that's a good thing. And since we're supposed to be Jesus, we're supposed to have this disease too. Unfortunately not all of us are sick with it.
Jesus was filled with it. In the Message Translation it says, "His heart broke." Why did Jesus have this? They were lost, sheep without a shepard. A Traveler without a map. A plane without GPS. (or whatever they use) Captain Jack Sparrow without his compass. Lost. No direction.
He's still has this compassion when he looks out at people. At my high school. Somehow, I never notice. When I see people, I see people. But when Jesus sees them he sees his sheep without a shepard, and he has compassion as well, it breaks it heart.
But it's a whole lot more than just a strong feeling you have to want to do something. Jesus did when he saw the people. He taught them and in other cases he healed them.
When we see the lost people we have to teach them. Teach them that they don't have to be lost anymore, show them the way. Heal them, heal their hurts, take them to the almighty healer. Jesus did it, as we're supossed to be his disciples, and that means to have to have compassion and shepard his sheep. It's not like the lost are hard to find. (no pun intended) The hurting, lost, sick, and desperate are everywhere. Jesus wants us to have compassion for them, then help them. I sure don't want Jesus's heart to break anymore over these people that I could help.
If we do return his sheep, then half the problems of the entire world would be gone. And half the tears of Jesus would be gone. And heaven would never stop singing. And Satan would lose his gripe on the world. Just imagine it and it is possible. It's not too difficult to heard his sheep. I know I'll be working on this myself. I will try to not see people, but sheep, (which is really easy at school 'cause everyone's almost herded like sheep anyway) and show them compassion and lead them home.

P.S. There is an amazing song by the band Leeland called Tears from the Saints, I encourage you listen to it. It will bring you to tears. You could probably find it on YouTube.

Valentine Poems

I've been trying all month to think of a Valentine poem, then today in health I thought of three. It just goes to show you that creativity can't be force, it has to come to you. Everytime you try to think of something, you never will. It'll happen when you're bored.
So here they are:

I gave you my heart,
And you kept it close,
But it seems as though you've lost it,
So now I think I'm toast.


I will never part from you,
I'll stick to you like a tick.
You'll never get rid of me,
Isn't that romantic?


Last one.....

You stole my breath away,
But you never gave it back.
So now I won't live another day,
Thanks so much for that!

I'm living six feet under.
My coffin's a lonely place.
I'll always regret my love-struck blunder.
I'm a cold, dead disgrace.

I'll live down here forever,
My corpse rots day by day,
Wishing that I never,
Let you take my breath away.

Love?

In this modern world we live in, we have lost sight of what love is. It's not what it used to be. I love my parents, God... and chocolate? We certainly have gone crazy if we compare love to chocolate. Which brings us to the question, What is love? Some would say it's a feeling. However that's not quite right, because feelings change, but love doesn't. Is it the romantic mushy-gushy thing we see in movies? I sure hope not! Here's some lyrics from Switchfoot's song Easier than Love that might explain what our world thinks of love:
Everyone's a lost romantic, since our love's become a kissing show

That's all it is, a kind of show, for everyone to see.
That's not what it was supoosed to be. It was supposed to be about commitment and sacrifice, fat chance of that happening anymore. We only have one good example of pure, untainted love, Jesus.
Jesus sacrficed everything he had for love. But it wasn't the mushy-gushy I-just-met-you-two-seconds-ago-and-now-I-want-to-marry-you love. It was, I'll-give-my-life-and-more-for-you love. You see, he didn't just give up his life, he gave up his dignity, his purity, his rightousness, his everything! Yet somehow, we've forgetton it. Maybe because we talk about it so much that it really doesn't seem all that great anymore. Or maybe because we lost sight of what love, real love, is. But it doesn't stop at the cross....
Jesus just didn't come down from heaven, die, and go back without a word. He left instructions for making sure that EVERYONE knows about his amazing extravagent love for us. Once again, we've forgotten, we don't know what love is. Hate and disrespect run ramped. We see it everywhere don't we? It's not what Jesus wanted. He wanted everyone to be loved and everyone to love him. And inorder for this to happen we have to show his love to the world. Show it to everyone, no matter who they are. If you like them, love them. If you don't like them, love them. If they annoy the crap out of you, love them. If they cheat, steal, lie and hate, love them. They are no requirements, no restrictions it's open for all. It doesn't matter, love them. Jesus did, and we're supposed to follow him right? If he did it so can we.
Jesus said that even non-believers will love people they like. But it takes a believer, a follower, to love someone who NO ONE likes.
If we don't love these people who will? And who will tell them of God's love? No one. Which is why we need so desperatly to stand out. Our light can't shine if we're doing what the rest of the world is doing.
So we need to love, love, love, and love. Think about that as Easter comes by, I know I will.

P.S. This doesn't mean you have to buy a Valentine's Day card for everyone in the world.... but a box of chocolates for your favorite blogger would be nice!