COMPASSION: - An over-hyped sentiment?
What is compassion? That has been the subject of much debate over the last week. First there was Ronnie Biggs and Home Secretary Jack Straw’s decision to release him from prison because of his very poor health and prospects. This came not long after Mr. Straw had refused to release Biggs despite advice to do so, because he had shown no remorse over his crimes. Then there was the decision of the Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to release Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi because he had terminal cancer and only a short time to live. There were considerable objections to this action from the American government and from many of the relatives of the victims. After the release took place Mr al-Megrahi released a statement through his solicitors in which he denied any responsibility for the crime of which he was convicted. Both decisions were made on the grounds of compassion.
Was what these two politicians did truly an expression of compassion? Is it compassion to take an action which causes pain to others and cuts across the process of justice? There was an appeal underway for al-Megrahi, although it is said that he was so ill he would not have lived to the end of the appeal. And Biggs did not meet the usual criteria for early release from prison. Then what should we say about the pain caused to the relatives of the victims of the Lockerbie disaster and also the distress caused to the family of the driver of the train in the great Train Robbery and others involved in the railway industry? Can there be compassion that looks only at one person and ignores the effects of any actions on others?
Obviously in both these cases there are other political, economic and social issues that are being raised as possibly being part of the explanation for the decisions. But compassion is the official explanation. Mr MacAskill said, "Compassion and mercy are about upholding the beliefs that we seek to live by, remaining true to our values as a people - no matter the severity of the provocation or the atrocity perpetrated." He also added that Megrahi would now come before a higher justice when he died. So the view of compassion being expressed has to do with the values of the Scottish people. But where does justice fit into this?
Compassion is defined by Wikipedia as "a human emotion prompted by the pain of others. More vigorous than empathy, the feeling commonly gives rise to an active desire to alleviate another’s suffering. It is often, though not inevitably, the key component in what manifests in the social context as altruism.” It is a virtue that is praised by almost all the major world religions - Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Judaism and Christianity all give it a high place in their teaching.
It is however in Christianity that compassion is brought to its fullest and most powerful expression. The life of the Lord Jesus Christ demonstrates true compassion on many occasions. He saw people in need and suffering pain and He responded to them by alleviating their suffering and bringing hope and peace to their hearts. In those wonderful actions He did great good and no harm. There were no bad implications. His was pure unalloyed compassion. He saw people as being like ‘sheep without a shepherd’ and so He gave them instruction and leadership in truth and righteousness. He saw them beset by sin and distress and He healed them. He saw men as sinners under judgement and He brought a way of forgiveness and deliverance.
It was in the Cross that His compassion reached the highest conceivable expression. There was no setting aside of justice, of allowing crimes and breaches of the law to go unpunished. Instead He took responsibility for our crimes against God and His eternal Law, and He bore the penalty that was truly ours. At the Cross His compassion for us in our sorrows and pains find expression in the greatest act of self-sacrificing love that has ever been.
What is compassion? What we have seen in these recent days seems to fall short of what we might really expect. But when we turn from what we see in a complex and confusing set of circumstances and look to Jesus Christ, then we see pure and unadulterated compassion. How wonderful it is! How powerful to evoke our thankfulness and love in return. Such compassion should make us bow in adoration to the Lord and then to go out and show such compassion to our pain ridden and suffering society