Compassion is an important
principle listed in the Family Proclamation.
The dictionary defines compassion as “a feeling of deep sympathy and
sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune and is accompanied by a strong
desire to alleviate the suffering.”
The Savior is the great example
of compassion. There are at least eight
references about the compassion of the Savior in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark,
and Luke. In the Book of Mormon when the
Savior appears to the Nephites, the scriptures record that the Savior “cast his
eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did
look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer
with them.” (3 Nephi 17:5)
The Savior told them, “My
bowels are filled with compassion towards you.” He then asked them if they had any sick,
lame, blind, halt, maimed, leprous, withered, deaf or “afflicted in any
manner?” He instructed the people to bring
the afflicted to him and he would heal them. He told them, “I have compassion upon you; my
bowels are filled with mercy. (3 Nephi
17:6-7)
We need to learn to do as
the Savior did when he visited the Nephites.
He observed the people he was with and perceived their need. He then
applied compassion and decided to stay with them a little longer and heal their
afflictions.
Sister Linda K. Burton,
the Relief Society General President, has suggested that we need to “First observe,
then serve.” She also said, “What better place to first observe and then serve
than in the home?” As we observe and
serve with compassion our marriages and families will be blessed.
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