He is a young doctor with a wealth of ideas flowing through his brain. He wants his new job as head of a public hospital to mean something to him, his staff, and most of all his patients. So, he begins his tenure by firing all of the physicians on his cardiac team because of their poor performance. He chooses a new doctor to head a new cardiac unit, and he tells him to hire the best. And he does! He looks directly at the remaining staff and says, “How can I help you?” Of course, they are in shock; but one by one, staff members begin to tell this bright, enthusiastic young doctor what they need. One by one he gets them what they need to do their job effectively.

This, of course, is a fictional character in a several-season television show. Given the way our medical system works today, this program makes me wish I could have this young doctor as my doctor.

I have watched several programs in the first season, and something finally struck me that has ideas running through my brain. What if we lived our Christian life with those words constantly in our hearts and on our lips? How can I help you? To make this work, we would need to mean it, not just say it. Believe me, people know whether you mean it or not.

So, what if we put this idea into practice? How many people could we help with this attitude? We see this in Scripture in the form of compassion. We first see it as an example in Christ. When He heals the leper in Mark 1:41, He had compassion on him. When He cast out the legion of demons in Mark 5:19, He had compassion on the man. When He healed the man who could not speak, the man begged for compassion, and Jesus gave it to him. There are more examples, but it is the command of the Lord in John 15 that solidifies this idea of showing compassion. In verse 12, Jesus says, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” In verse 15, He says, “I have called you friends.” It is this friendship bond with Jesus that serves as the pattern for our desire to help others. If we don’t desire to help others, we don’t have friendship with Jesus.

There are people all around us that are in need. There is the young mother who would enjoy a few hours to do something just for her. There are the caregivers that would be so appreciative of a few hours to run errands while a loving Christian cares for their loved one. There are people who need a hot meal, a clean house, a yard mowed, or transportation to the doctor. All we have to do is ask, “How can I help?”

Peter also speaks to this idea of compassion. He says, “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing” (First Peter 3:8-9). Notice that he says we will receive a blessing if we do what we are called to do—show brotherly love.

There is another aspect to this idea of helping one another. It is often very difficult for some people to ask for help. That is why it is so important that we show it in our faces and that it can be heard in our voices that we truly want to help. In order to be that transparent, we are going to need practice. The more we do it, the more we will mean it, and the more our sincerity will be obvious.

Romans 12 is a foundational scripture for our attitude toward showing compassion. Here are some basic instructions for us that will help us say, “How can I help you?”

• Be living sacrifices.
• Do not be conformed to the world.
• Don’t think more highly of yourself than you should.
• Think soberly.
• Love without hypocrisy.
• Abhor evil; cleave to good.
• Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love.
• Bless those that persecute you.
• Rejoice with those that rejoice, and weep with those that weep.
• Do not be wise in your own conceits.
• Do not return evil for evil.
• Live in peace with all men.
• Don’t hold a grudge.
• If your enemy is hungry feed him; if he is thirsty, give him water.
• Overcome evil with good.

The young doctor had a mind to serve. He first had to convince his staff that he meant what he was saying. That same principle is the foundation for the Christian life. I think about the song our children sing in Vacation Bible School every year, “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”  It says, “If you’re happy; and you know it, your face will surely show it.” If our heart is right, our voice will say it, and our face will show it. Now all we need to do is practice.

Sandra Oliver