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A
Compassionate Friend
`He
lived not to please Himself, but to do good to others and
lavish His blessings upon others. He could have spent His days
on earth in ease and plenty, and have appropriated to Himself
the enjoyment of this life. But He lived not to enjoy. He
lived to do good and to save others from suffering, and His
example is for us to follow. (3T18,54)
`He
could not be persuaded to change His habits of contemplating
the works of God and seeking to alleviate the suffering of men
or even of dumb animals.' (DA90)
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`Benevolence
was the life of His soul.' (DA191) |
`He
went from house to house, treating the sick, feeding the
hungry, comforting the mourners, soothing the afflicted,
speaking peace to the distressed.' (WM170)
`What
a busy life Jesus led. Day by day He might be seen entering
the humble abodes of want and sorrow, speaking hope to the
downcast and peace to the distressed. The poor and suffering
received the greatest share of His attention. Humble,
gracious, tenderhearted, pitiful. He went about doing good,
feeding the hungry, lifting up the bowed down, comforting the
sorrowing. To all who came to Him for help He brought faith
and hope and life.' (WM116)
`Just
as we trace the pathway of a stream of water by the line of
living green it produces, so Jesus could be seen in the deeds
of mercy that marked His pathway at every step. Wherever He
went health sprang up, and happiness followed wherever He
passed. The blind and deaf rejoiced in His presence. His words
to the ignorant opened to them a fountain of life. He
dispensed His blessings abundantly and continuously. They were
the gathered treasures of eternity, given in Jesus, the Lord's
rich gift to man.' (WM57)
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`His
tender, pitying heart is ever awakened to sympathy by
suffering. He weeps with those that weep, and rejoices with
those that rejoice.' (DA533) |
`Though
now He has ascended to the presence of God, and shares the
throne of the universe, Jesus has lost none of His
compassionate nature. Today the same tender, sympathizing
heart is open to all the woes of humanity. Today the hand that
was pierced is reached forth to bless more abundantly His
people that are in the world. "And they shall never
perish, neither shall any pluck them out of My hand."
`The
soul that has given Himself to Jesus is more precious in His
sight than the whole world. The Saviour would have passed
through Calvary that one might be saved in His kingdom. He
will never abandon one for whom He has died. Unless His
followers choose to leave Him, He will hold them fast.'
(DA480)
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