And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Ep4.32 NKJV
When we are encouraged to be tenderhearted this is just another way of saying that we are to be compassionate. Actually, both the English and the Greek word, are made up from two words, both of which convey actions that are connected in some sense to our emotions. The English tender, means to sensitive or caring to the point of being kind, and is connected to the word heart, often said to be the seat of our emotions. The Greek expression is roughly translated a good gut or better, a good gut reaction.
Now, it is important to note that the encouragement to be kind precedes the one telling us to be tenderhearted. I find it fascinating that we a told to feel something at all. How exactly does one conjure feelings of compassion? Well, I think there is a synergetic connection between feeling compassion and acting compassionately. Jesus told us, Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. In other words, we will love those people and things in which we invest time and energy. The best way to nurture a compassionate heart is by compassionate action. C. S. Lewis wrote, “Do not waste time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him.”
We become what we do, and do, and do. When we act compassionately, these actions will work down into the very core of our being. When this happens, our gut response, will be the right response. 5/11/07 ts
