In this one town there was these two hair dressers and like every business they wanted to get as many clients as possible. So as you might imagine there was some pretty good competition between these two hair dressers.
Each one tried to out do the other all so they might get a few more clients. If one of them dropped their price, then it was not long before the other hair dresser got wind of it and did the same. If one of them have a deal on shampoo, no matter if it hurt them to do it or not, the other one would try to give a better deal. This went on for months on end.
Well one day, one of the hair dressers became extremely busy with customers, a lot more than normal. Of course this hair dresser had her regulars but she started to notice that she was getting some clients that she knew went to her competitors shop.
Well this was not normal so she decided to do a bit of investigation of her own. Well it did not take long for her to find out why she was getting so many clients coming into her shop. It just so happened that her competitor had fallen ill and had to close the shop for an entire week.
With the competition between these two being so harsh, the entire town wondered what might happen. The hair dresser did not wish the other one ill will, but was all to happy that he was going to make some more money.
Well Sunday came around and the preacher began to preach about loving even your enemies. As the owner of the salon sat there listening to the message conviction began to quickly set in. He began to think about all the awful ways he had behaved and even how he deep down enjoyed the money he had made even at the cost of the other salon owner's expense. Oh it was hard for him to even raise his head as he walked out of church that day.
The weight of conviction ate away at him until finally he decided to do the unthinkable. He went to his competitor's house and gave all the money that he had made that week as a way to show Christian love and sympathy to someone who had fallen on hard times.
Now the effect that this one event had on these two hair dressers was instantaneous. Almost over night there was no longer any competition among them. Instead of fighting over customers they began to work together. The community as a whole took notice of the diffrence. This one act of compassion and generosity caused a ripple effect throughout the entire town.
That barber learned a valuable lesson that I think so many people fail to learn. That lesson is that Love is one of the greatest gifts that we can give. It is one of the greatest weapons to fight against hate. It is the single greatest defense against an offensive behavior. Love is the key to the door of friendships and blessings. Love is the cure for bitterness anger and strife.
The sad reality is that it is the one thing that seems to be in short supply these days. From road rage, to political debates and everything in between. It seems like we are at each others throat's more often than not. Far to few people seem to take the time to show compassion.
Now if there is one group that should be the most loving, you would think it should be the Christian. If there is one place where someone could find compassion in abundance and love unending you should find it in the church. That is because we have the greatest example of what real love is in Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ sets the standard for us as believers of how we should treat one another. As we look to the cross, as we examine his life, and as we follow his teachings we get a clear picture of compassion.
This is what the apostle John had in mind when he wrote (1 John 4:7-8).
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God. The one who does not love has not known God. For God is love.- (1Jn 4:7-8)
So lets take up this challenge from the apostle John lets love one another. Let us care for others as Christ has cared for us. Let us show the world what true compassion and generosity is. Let us live differently than the rest of the world. Let us be an example by living by the example Jesus Christ has set before us. Lets speak kindness, instead of hate. Lets encourage the down trodden, rather than trodden down the broken hearted. Let us lift others up when others have sought to tear them down. Let us be a listening ear in a world full of angry screaming. Let us be the warm embrase for those who feel the coldness of this world.
