Jesus was an excellent storyteller. He made use of imagery and contrast to make his point and to impart his teachings.

• Jesus got people interested when he said that the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed… smallest of all seeds but eventually, it becomes the biggest of all plants
• Jesus got people curious when he said that our faith is like a seed, it can either grow or it can die
• Jesus got people reflective when he said that death is like a thief in the night. You will never know when it will come.

In one Gospel passage, Jesus makes use of the imagery of a rich man, whose name is unknown, and a poor man whose name is Lazarus. Jesus shocks his audience because the rich man did not make it to heaven. This was not because he had money, but because he did not especially care about those who have less in life.

Hence three reflections on showing compassion:

• One who is gracious to a poor person lends to the LORD, And He will repay him for his good deed. (Proverbs 19:17). Adding to this quote, God cannot be outdone in generosity.
• “When God blesses you, raise your standard of giving and not your standard of living.” Besides, how many clothes do we really need? How many houses do we really need? How much money should we have in the bank?
• Are you an enabler or helper? Each of us have our own mission from the Lord. When we help others though, hopefully we also help them realize their own missions, along with encouraging them to be less dependent on others.