SYMPATHIZE WITH THE MISTREATED. Hebrews 13:3 Love shows itself in sympathy for the suffering members of God's family. Concern and care for those mistreated for the Lord's sake are evidence of our faith, as displayed in acts of love. The Lord said true followers would visit those in prison [Mat. 25:36]. Some have been called to take the Gospel to unbelievers in prison, and by His grace, God has saved some in that situation. When we suffer with sympathy, we become partakers with others who suffer [10:33] unjustly.
In our physical bodies, when one part suffers, the whole body is affected. Some parts share the pain; others are weakened; some are limited; and the whole body “sympathizes” with the injured part. When some of the Lord’s people are persecuted, imprisoned, and made to suffer, it affects all believers. We live in the same physical body as those who are suffering, so our sympathy for them and what they are going through should be real to us.
Those who are loyal to the Savior and find themselves prisoners because they love lost souls and want them to hear the good news of salvation may end up imprisoned in distant countries. We must never forget them and the spiritual warfare in which they are engaged. We are in the same war, but in different places and circumstances, so the battle where we are may have to be fought differently. Some warfare is open, physical, and bloody. Other times, warfare may be subtle, deceitful, and so secretive that we don’t realize how serious the outcome may be.
The Church suffered with Peter as they prayed together, bearing his burdens. Paul longed to know the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings. We are not always able to help a sufferer emotionally or physically, but the throne of grace is always open to us. The Father is not limited in how He meets a person's needs or answers our prayers.
There is a need for grace on the part of those enduring suffering and for grace to share the burden of their suffering. God’s grace can do remarkable things and produce results we never thought of. Some great victories are won when saints are in a time of great affliction. By prayer, practical fellowship, and, if possible, our presence, we can come alongside suffering believers and minister grace to them.
In the epistles of Paul, Peter, and John, there are exhortations to connect sympathy with fellowship, and commendations are given when that is done. God is sympathetic toward His suffering children and always remembers His own. Our Lord suffered and, as a man, learned through suffering what He had never experienced. He learned by experience what it is like to “endure the cross and despise the shame.” He knew what it was like to suffer unjustly; to be wounded, bruised, chastised, and punished because He was bringing blessing to others.
“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, nor shall the flame kindle upon thee.”
To a suffering prisoner in a cell, enduring hardship for Jesus' sake, a visit from a caring believer brought a positive change in outlook. No longer feeling forgotten, on the edge of the lake of "self- pity," the unfairly imprisoned laborer now looks higher and, by grace, sees the "heavenly city."