Compassion in Families

The seventh principle listed in the Proclamation that is needed in successful marriages and families is compassion.  We can see the power of compassion in families in the scriptures.  The Savior showed this during the last moments of His life.  Even though He was suffering immensely, He still had great compassion on His mother and her suffering.  The account in John tells us, “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother!  And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home” (John 19:26-27).  He was more concerned about her well-being than his own, and He knew she needed someone to help care for her once He was gone.  Another person in the scriptures who showed great compassion on a family member was Ruth.  After her mother-in-law Naomi lost her husband and two sons, she was sorrowful and mourned, “The hand of the Lord is gone out against me” (Ruth 1:13).  Ruth had no more obligation to stay with Naomi, but I think she had compassion on Naomi and did not want her to be alone the rest of her life.  So she said to her mother-in-law her now famous words, “Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge” (Ruth 1:16).  Because of her compassion and loyalty to Naomi, Ruth stayed with her and eventually was greatly blessed to find another husband.  And through their lineage came the Savior.  Abraham is a third person in the scriptures who showed great compassion in his family.  One example was when he returned to the land of Canaan from Egypt and “there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle….  And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee… for we be brethren.  Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left” (Genesis 13:7-9).  Instead of seeking to get the best land for himself, he showed love and compassion for Lot and his possessions, and he let Lot pick the best land.  Abraham sought the interest of a family member before his own, just like the Savior and Ruth.  Because of it Abraham was blessed and protected by the Lord.  All three of these examples show the power of compassion and love in blessing families.