A Prayer About Non-Selective Compassion
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance? Romans 2:1-4
Dear heavenly Father, once again I’m confronted with just how much I need the gospel of your grace. If I’m going to make progress in loving others the way Jesus loves me, it’s going to take mining and investing more of the unsearchable riches of Jesus on this small heart of mine.
Meditating through this passage, and the catalogue of brokenness that precedes it (Romans 1:21-32), I’m forced to acknowledge that I’m pretty selective when it comes to having compassion for sinfully broken people. Father, it’s not real difficult for me to shower the riches of your kindness, tolerance and patience on people whose sins and struggles are like mine. But I’m way more self-righteous and judgmental towards people who deal with brokenness and temptations different than mine. Though this is understandable, it’s not excusable. Have mercy on me… and through me, heavenly Father. I am a mere man. No one has appointed me to be judge and jury.
So here’s my prayer today… may your great kindness for me in the gospel lead to a deeper repentance of my sin. Help me to grieve and deal with my heterosexual lust, to a greater degree than I am offended by those who struggle with homosexual temptations and entanglements. Help me to be more earnest about repenting of my “Republican” gossip than I am committed to keeping a record of “Democratic” sins. May I be more sad and repentant of my passive-aggressive anger than I am critical of other people’s loud-n-large pasta-slinging tirade-laced anger. Father, these are just a few things that come to mind. I know there’s more… much more.
Lord Jesus, you willingly took the judgment I deserve on the cross-the fullness of God’s righteous wrath. And now you love me with the fullness of compassion, acceptance and delight. The greatest non-sequitur in life would be for me to show contempt for the riches of God’s kindness, tolerance and patience. Deepen my repentance and deepen my compassion for fellow broken sinners. So very Amen, I pray, in your righteous and loving name.
