This article from Science Daily is really fascinating, considering the current series within the gospel of Luke that we are looking at during our early service. The article describes a recent psychological study that took place that actually measures the level of compassion that powerful people have. Read the article for all the details of the study, or I can break it down for you here. The study basically finds that powerful people (that is, people who consider themselves to possess a significant amount of power, or who are in positions of power) tend to have less compassion when confronted with the pain and suffering of others than those who are considered to be less powerful. That is to say that the more power a person possesses, the less compassion they feel towards people who are experiencing pain, suffering, loss, or are in need.
If the findings of this study are accurate, they are amazing, especially considering what we have been learning about Jesus' power as described in Luke 8. Luke tends to make a big deal out of how powerful Jesus is - he wants his readers to know that Jesus is not just an ordinary human being - he wants them to know that Jesus is extremely powerful, in fact, so powerful that the only conclusion you can come to is that he is God.
But Luke also wants to show his readers that Jesus is not completely separated from the rest of humanity. Although he does possess an unthinkable amount of power, he is still connected to humanity through his compassion, mercy, kindness, goodness, love, etc. That's why the gospels specifically point out Jesus' emotional attachment to those he ministered to. He didn't just do miracles for the sake of doing miracles - he did them because he cared about the people the miracles effected - he cared about the condition and situation of each and every person he came into contact with.
So then, when we consider the fact that Jesus has ultimate power over the universe and those who dwell in it, and also his compassion for the state of mankind (physical and spiritual), it seems to totally fly in the face of the findings of the study mentioned above. The study says that powerful people tend to feel less compassion. Jesus, however, had complete and ultimate power, but at the same time possessed all compassion for mankind - a state of being that is not in agreement with the findings of this study. But I guess that's what makes him God!
If you think about it, the findings of the study aren't too surprising: it's easy to see why powerful people tend to have less compassion. They have resources; they have wealth; they have authority; they have success; they have the ability to produce an effect on situations and people. In a sense, compassion is beneath them (note: I am not saying that all powerful people fit this description, but it is certainly true in a general sense).
Jesus, however, smashes through all those stereotypes, even though they all fit him perfectly: he has resources (the cattle on a thousand hills); he has wealth (all glory and honor from every tribe and every tongue); he has all authority (over all nations and kingdoms); he has success; he has the ability to produce an effect on situations and people (everyone will bow to him). And yet, he cares for the lowliest of people. He heals the leper; he heals the paralyzed man; he casts out the spirits of demoniac. Jesus is essentially the embodiment of all power, caring for the lowest in society.
The powerful people who had their level of compassion measured were probably lawyers, politicians, CEO's, supervisors, etc. And when they had their level of compassion measured when exposed to the loss and suffering and pain of others, it certainly wasn't off the charts. But what kind of reading would you get if you hooked the source of all power up to the compassion-meter? The machine would probably break, because the ultimate source of power is also the ultimate source of compassion.
It's all a good example of how we abuse the power we have. I may not be a lawyer, politician, or CEO, but I certainly possess a certain amount of power. Have I let my "power" influence my compassion? I can guarantee it. That's why Jesus is the perfect example of humility: the source of all power, filled with compassion for people.
Mind blowing.
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