Showing Pity

"Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none." (Psalm 69: 20)

When a person is suffering adverse circumstances, especially after a prolonged period of time, that person longs for the least dosage of comfort and sympathy from others. When the sufferer says - "woe is me," he desires others to acknowledge his right to be sorrowful, to show him compassion, to speak encouraging words and to offer hope to him. It rarely cures the person of the woe, but it does act often as a soothing balm and helps the person find strength in his sufferings. How sad to be in deep affliction and have no one to comfort or to even take pity! Such was the case with the Psalmist.

Job, the great suffering one, said - "To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend." (Job 6:14)

He said to his friends who had come to show him pity and to comfort him:

"Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me." (Job 19: 21)

Sometimes the suffering one is scoffed at for even seeking pity from others. Rather than showing pity to the sufferer, many people deride the sufferer, especially if the sufferings are perceived to be deserved. People are willing to show pity to the unfortunate person, that person who is in suffering for no sinful choice. Rarely do people have an inclination to show pity to the sufferer who has "brought all this on himself," as they confess. Yet, the latter are also to be pitied. Exhorted Peter:

"Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous..." (I Peter 3: 8)

And, in the Proverbs of Solomon, men are advised:

"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again." (Proverbs 19: 17)

"He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor." (28: 8)

But, sadly, the world is full of people who "despise the poor." (James 2: 6) Many will not show pity to, nor aid and help, the poor; rather, they will often show the greatest contempt for the poor, and rather than offering comforting and helpful words to such, they will often spend time berating and chastising them. But, as Peter exhorted, we are to practice showing pity to others. Yes, we must, at times, make a distinction in the type of actual aid, besides good words and fair speeches, that we give to the poor and suffering. Wrote Jude:

"And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire..." (Jude 1: 22,23)

People who show no pity, mercy, or compassion on others, are the ones who really need to be pitied! The fact that they are so hard-hearted is a greater thing to be pitied than the financially poor. They are poor spiritually, bankrupt sinners, who will find that their lack of mercy and pity to others will work to insure that they themselves receive no mercy and pity from the Lord.

After giving a story about a debtor who had been forgiven of a debt he could not pay, because the creditor showed pity and compassion, and yet who went out immediately to one of his debtors and showed no pity or compassion, Jesus asked him the penetrating question:

"Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?" (Matthew 18: 33)

Warned James:

"For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment." (James 2: 13)

Seeking God's Pity

"Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him." (Psalm 103: 13)

"Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." (James 5: 11)

"But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath." (Psalm 78: 38)

"...he was their Saviour. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old." (Isaiah 63: 8,9)

"But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth." (Psalm 86: 13)

"It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not." (Lamentations 3: 22)

"But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies." (3: 32)

"He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." (Micah 7: 19)

Friend, have you spent too much time seeking pity from men? Is it not time for you to seek it from the Lord?