The Proverbs 31 Woman: Compassionate
By Gail Rodgers
As we continue to meditate and pray through Proverbs 31 this week, today we consider the character quality of compassion.
”She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
”She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy (Proverbs 31: 15, 20).
~ Father God,
It’s so easy to get caught up in my own world. I want to become a more compassionate woman. I know it takes time Lord, time to listen; time to care; time to walk a mile with someone who needs a hand.
I want to be ready to extend my arms to embrace those less fortunate. Help me to look for opportunities to be generous. Help me to share my time and resources from a caring heart.
Help me to see the needs of those around me, and especially, the needs of my family. Teach me to really listen to what others say and to hear with my heart as well as my ears. Keep my eyes open to recognize the hurting places and to respond with a caring heart.
Father, sometimes my heart can be callous to the needs of others. Sometimes it feels like there just isn’t time to care. I know You have placed me where I am to love those around me. Give me a desire to have a generous heart. Please multiply my time back to me as I choose to care.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
“A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor??? (Proverbs 22:9).
Going Deeper
1. Consider these questions: Define compassion. Have you heard in the media the term “compassion fatigue,??? the feeling of being wearied by, and thus dull to, the many needs in our world? How can we ward off “compassion fatigue????
2. Comment on the devotional blog. Interact with others who are reading today’s devotional. Visit http://talk.thelife.com/ and double click on “Comment” (just under the devotional title).
3. Chat: Join us for a 15-minute chat at 10:30 am Eastern, 7:30 am Pacific: http://www.christianwomentoday.com/chat
4. Check out the related article: “Living with an open hand” http://www.christianwomentoday.com/money/giving.html
About the Author
This devotional was written by Gail Rodgers. Read more about Gail: http://www.talk.thelife.com/authors/gail-rodgers/
Copyright
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14 Responses to “The Proverbs 31 Woman: Compassionate”
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Oh how I understand the compassion fatigue.
Lord, please help me. I realize I cant do everything You would have me do with out Your help. I want to live in Your will, doing the things You have made me for. I do get selfish, and tired, and I need Your strength to make it through. Lord my goal is to be the Proverbs 31 woman you intended for me to be. Thank you Lord!
Lord, how I want to live in your will and be example of the Proverbs 31 Woman,Trsutworthy, Compassionate, I do become weary, it is not that I don’t care sometime I get so caught up until it drains me, but I know in order to be like this I have to keep my focus on you. Try being more like you.I want to always have a generous heart, and want my time multipy my time back to me as I chosse to listen with my ears and heart. Help me to have discernment when enough is enough with one person without hurting them.Thank you for your Grace and Mercy, I love You Lord
I am a living testimony to the fact that the Lord comforts us so that we can extend that same comfort to others. One of my greatest joys is volunteering at a crisis pregnancy center. Oh the compassion I have for the women that walk through the door! Because I was a pregnant, frightened 17 year old. With that compassion I have realized that I can also become very drained if I choose to spend my time always DOING something for the Lord. Just as Jesus had to withdraw from the crowd and spend time with his Father, I must do the same. God calls himself, Living Water. He wants to flow through us in a steady constant fashion. In order to do that I have learnt that I have to go to the River often.
Thank you Lord for your unending supply of Living Water. Help me be consistent in drawing from the River.
Lord, I surrender to Your will for my life this day. I pray with all that is going on around me, that I will be sensitive to Your leading in the way of campassion to others. Lord, I pray that I discern how I am to respond…what I can and cannot do. I desire that You show up in my life today in such a way that it blesses those that come in contact with me. I pray that others see You in me this day. Use me Lord to speak Your Words to the hearts of those that are hurting…use my hands this day Lord to touch those You send my way…Use my feet Lord to get up and step out…Use my arms, Lord to embrace those that need it…I surrender it all to You, Lord…Have Your way this day in my heart, in my life, on my job, in my work, with my family and with others in Jesus Precious Name…amen…
Dear Lord, thank You for these ladies. I somehow find comfort and encouragement in that I am not alone in feeling “compassionatly exhausted.” Remove the caloses from my heart toward those who seem so wanton and ungrateful. Help me to keep my eyes upon You, Lord. Lead me to those You would have me serve regardless of feelings and attitudes. Each time I return to the basic “Yes Lord” I find you there waiting for me. Thanks. I am indeed your greatful servant. In Jesus name, — and for His compassion, I praise and thank you. Amen
Bless God for today’s devotional, its an eye opener for prayer. God bless you all.
I thank you Lord for the many women who hear and heed your call to be compassionate and caring to so many deeply lost and hurting people in this world today. It fills my heart to overflowing and inspires me to reach out anywhere and anytime I see the opportunity. I pray that more women are also inspired. Guide my thoughts, actions, words and feet. In Jesus Name, Amen.
On many a day I feel ” compassion fatigued”. I feel like shutting my eyes to the world and not looking back.
The Bible tells us not to be weary in well doing. God will give us the strengh to do HIS will.
I think the deeper we get in the Word, the more energy we will get to go on.
Just like physical exercise, the more we work out the more energy we get for the next work out.
I thank God for the Holy Spirit refreshining me and giving me the energy to go on everyday.
God bless you all
Father God, Thank you for allowing me to be compassionate to two ladies today that truly needed compassion, and are going to need it so desparately more in the near future. I see compassionate fatigue on the way. Give me wisdom and the strength to minister to them as you would if you were here in the flesh. Our flesh is so weak so Father help me to keep my eyes on you for without you I can do nothing. Help my husband and I both to be more compassionate toward the poor and needy…and to see them through your eyes. Thank you. I love you!!
Lord, make me see, make me feel,the needs of others,I Praise your Holy Name now and forever.
What caught my attention in this passage was that she arose before daybreak. I find myself doing this and it is the perfect opportunity to go to my e-mail and regular devotionals to start my day off with Christ and in a Christ centered state of mind.
Father God, thank you for your will and compassion in my life showing me how to love again and being compassionate to other’s that i find so diffult to love, but when i think on how you brought me through life’s chellages i now know how to be humble and meek, which gives so much compassion in my heart for your people today. so father god thank you for your will and compassion in your son and savier Jesus Christ our lord.
I just read this devotional and it really spoke to me. I have got so much going on in my life right now doing for others that I sometimes feel like I am being cheated out of my own life.I just thank the Lord for using me to help others and I know he is in control of my life now and will be there for me. I hope and pray that I will do everything that he has planned for me.I give him all the praise and glory.
This devotional really hit home with me. I work in a Correctional Facility and it can be an incredibly stressful job. On certain days I am one person in charge of caring for 70 women for 8 hours and sometimes everyones needs and wants seem to overwhelm me. I try to remind myself that I should treat others as I would want to be treated and as the Lord would treat them. I feel compassion fatigue so often because I really want to help all of the women there in whatever way I can so that when they get out they can lead better and more productive lives. I share the word with them often and I find it inspiring and enlightening. After reading Proverbs 31 I now have a higher standard to strive for as a woman and as a caregiver to the women in our facility.