I have a theory:

When you think you’re better than other people, you tend to look down on other people.

But here’s the flip side. Your compassion towards others increases when you take seriously the extent of your own need.

As humans, we don’t tend to want to acknowledge our own flaws. And don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we should constantly beat ourselves up.

But when we simply and honestly accept the fact that we are broken, and that we defy God’s commands each and every day, and that each of us is painstakingly lost without the saving mercy of Jesus, we are less harsh towards others—and more compassionate.

Let me quote one of the world’s most famous verses about sin, Romans 3:23: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” Every single person you will meet today has sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. But so have you. The good news is that we have been given peace with God—both in this life and the next—not because of how morally good we are, but because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross.

Yup. We are a people of NEED.

We need God’s compassion.
We need forgiveness.
We need saving.
We need help.
We need strength.
We need wisdom.

And I think that should motivate us to show compassion to the people who need it—just like us.

When you think you’re better than other people, you tend to look down on other people.

But your compassion towards others increases when you take seriously the extent of your own need.

By Matthew Ruttan

–“The heartache of our children during COVID-19.” That’s my latest blog and you can read it here.

––This Sunday at Westminster I’m preaching about Psalm 91. What does it really say about being protected from harm? And what does it mean to live “in the shadow of the Almighty”? That’s what I’ll talk about. Click here to sign up for an automatic email reminder every Sunday which connects you directly to our live stream.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.