Day 255 – Compassion

Proverbs 28:3 A poor man who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain which leaves no food.

• God’s names:
• YAHWEH/JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal
• Elohiym – Supreme God
• Yeshuwa/Iesous – Jesus
• Pater/Abba – Father
• Soter – Savior
• Kurios – Supreme Authority

• God’s character:
• Benevolent
• Kind
• Compassionate
• Merciful

Debt is a hard thing. Some poor people will do whatever they can to get ahead, even if it means oppressing others who are as poor as themselves. The effect is the same as a flood that washes away everything you own. It’s not healthy for people to oppress anyone, anymore than a flood that destroys your life.

Solomon saw oppression in all forms as king of Israel, even among his servants and those who worked in his vineyards. He also knew the Law and what YAHWEH told the people about how they were to treat others.

YAHWEH told the people they were not to oppress strangers because they knew what it was like to be a stranger and slave in Egypt.

Exodus 22:21 “You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (NKJV)

Leviticus 25:35 ‘If one of your brethren becomes poor, and falls into poverty among you, then you will help him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. 36 Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your Elohiym, that your brother may live with you. 37 You will not lend him your money for usury, nor lend him your food at a profit. 38 I am YAHWEH your Elohiym, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan and to be your Elohiym.

We know Solomon obeyed this Law because how he treated people was observed by others.

When the queen of Sheba saw how Solomon conducted his business and how his people and his servants were before him, she told Solomon what she observed.

1 Kings 10:8 “Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! (NKJV)

Oppressed people aren’t happy, but if they are treated fairly, their lives are better for it.

Yeshuwa told a parable about two people who owed a debt when Peter asked Him how often he should forgive someone who sinned against him.

Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Kurios, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

 22 Iesous said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 28 But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were grieved and came and told their master everything that had been done. 32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 And his master was angry and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 My heavenly Pater also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

As Christians, you are to treat others with compassion and forgive them when they do anything against you, even when they owe you a debt of any kind.

You know what oppression feels like. Even if you were never poor monetarily, you were poor in spirit before you became a Christian. Satan had you under oppression. And just like people today who use force to get what is owed them, he kept you in debt until you accepted Yeshuwa as your Soter and Kurios and He wiped away your debt to Satan.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Yeshuwa told the people how they were to treat others.

Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. 6 Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. 7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Pater who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

What would your life be like if Yeshuwa treated you the way you treat others? Now that you have that picture in your mind, you need to treat others the way you want to be treated, with fairness and compassion, just as Yeshuwa treats you. Otherwise your life will be like the house built on sand — when the flood came, it washed the house away.

Matthew 7:24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

(NKJV)

When you have compassion on your fellow man you won’t oppress others, but you will have compassion for them.

Let’s pray: Father, help me to be compassionate to others in the same way You are to me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 1 October 2026 by Valerie Routhieaux

May God bless you as you show compassion to others.