Yesterday I mentioned the character Rakitin as the opposite of compassion.
Rakitin was quite sensitive in understanding everything as related to himself. Yet he was quite crude in understanding any of the feelings of any of his neighbors. This was due partly to youthful inexperience and partly because of his massive egoism.
Two quick things about Rakitin
If you want to read The Brothers Karamazov get the hardback translated by Pevear / Volokhonsky. I first started it in a different translation but I gave up on that one.
Permit me a tiny argument in defense of the classics. Do you ever wonder why a Pastor who is trying to connect with people would quote Dostoevsky? Or Dickens? Or Victor Hugo? Yesterday is a case in point. I talked to several middle school and high school students right after the sermon who asked me about that character I mentioned from the novel. A couple of them said “When you described that guy. I knew exactly the kind of person you were talking about!”
This is just to say that the classics are the classics because they connect with every kind of person on every sort of level throughout every time and season.
Something about the compassion of Christ.
Rakitin is instantly unlikable. We have all known somebody like that. None of us thinks we are that person. But I wonder how many of us really are? I know I am sometimes, way too many times. Yet Jesus loves us anyway.
I am in awe of the compassion of Christ. The real human sympathy that we see and receive from Jesus should astound us.
Jesus says to us – I am willing. Matthew 8:3
Jesus looks on us with eyes of compassion. Matthew 9:36
Jesus sympathizes with us right now in Heaven’s highest holy place. Hebrews 4:14-16