Turning Your Ashes into Beauty... Being a Woman of Compassion

by Debra Ann Elliott
(Birmingham, AL, USA)

When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." Luke 7:13 NIV

This month I am going to discuss the beauty of compassion. We are going to delve deeper into the elements need to become a woman of compassion. It is what God commands from us.

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
I Peter 3:8 NIV

When I shared me thoughts on turning your "ashes" into the beauty of encouragement, I also talked about the elements of encouragement through action. Sincerity(being like-minded), symapathy(being sympathethic), and sensitivity(loving one another) are also significant elements in turning your "ashes" into the beauty of compassion.

Finding my beauty of compassion was not an easy task. My family had turned their back on me and I felt alone and ashamed. I forgot what compassion was because I was never shown compassion. I also forgot the Lord always shows compassion. He never leaves us. He is always there. He took me up from "ashes" into "beauty" through his never-ending compassion with sincerity in his words, sympathy in his actions, and sensitivity in his heart.

Sincerity, sympathy, and sensitivity are the greatest characteristics of a woman of compassion. You were given a wonderful gift. The Lord saw your "tears" and wiped away all pain so you could become a woman of compassion. You are blessed with sincerity, sympathy, and sensitivity and now you have the opportunity to wipe away the "tears" of another hurting woman.

I want us to look at each quality of compassion that replaced your "tears":

Sincerity in words: May God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had. Romans 15:5 NIV

Romans 15:5 tells us God has already given you endurance and encouragement to withstand any circumstance, so we may have the same attitude toward others as Jesus has toward us. Our attitude toward women who have an abortion should be that of sincerity. We should be sincere in our words. Do everything with an attitude of Jesus.
Be a sincere woman of compassion. Be like-minded!

Sympathy in actions: Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth.
I John 3:18 NIV

God tells us in I John 3:18 not to love with words, but with our actions and to do so in honesty. You've heard the saying 'actions speak louder than words' and in the case of a woman who's has an abortion that is very truw. A woman who has emotional scars needs to see and feel your sympathy. She's battered and bruised and crying out in pain for loves honest touch. Do everything with actions and truth.
Be a sympathetic woman of compassion. Be sympathetic!

Sensitivity in hearts: I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 11:19 NIV

In Ezekiel 11:19, God brought you out of your "ashes" and put a new spirit in your heart. He turned your "heart" from stone to flesh. He gave you "new life" so you may give others "new life." Do everything with an undivided heart and a new spirit.
Be a sensitive woman of compassion. Love one another!

Remember you ARE a woman of encouragement and compassion. Next month we'll talk about what it takes to become a woman of strength.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts and advice with you. God is leading my hand so I can share with you my experiences from the fire and ashes into the beauty that came from a tragic circumstance.

Be blessed,
Debra

©2009