Jesus led a life filled with compassion; God is described as the Father of all compassion; And we are commanded to be compassionate. Christians are compassionate. It is a word that is said so often, that its impact is lost. To be compassionate is to have a deep feeling of sympathy for one who is suffering, and a strong desire to alleviate that suffering. The reality is that in the midst of busy living, it can be a challenge to truly cultivate this quality of compassion – loving our enemies is tiring – but the Bible says it is central to our call. It is because of God's compassionate nature that he came down to earth in human form in order to save us. In the knowledge that we have received compassion, we are called to show compassion to others.

Here are ten Bible verses on compassion:

Mark 6:34 When he (Jesus) went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

Colossians 3:12-13 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Romans 12:20 To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head."

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

James 1:27Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

1 Peter 3.8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

Isaiah 30:18 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!