Video: How the Word “Compassion” Reveals God’s Character

The word “compassion” packs a lot of power. Its Latin roots mean “to suffer with.” That alone is enough to sit and ponder for a while. (What does it really mean to suffer WITH our neighbors in poverty?) But when you dive into its biblical use, things get even more interesting: You learn how the word “compassion” reveals God’s character.

Bible history and etymology buffs, prepare to geek out over an artful new video from BibleProject. It delves into the meaning of the word “compassion” — and what it reveals about the character of God. For example, the word’s Hebrew root (“rakhamim”) is closely related to the Hebrew word for “womb.” The video takes you on a beautifully illustrated journey of how the Old Testament uses the word to reveal that “God is full of motherly compassion” and will rescue his people “by entering into the suffering of humanity.”

Sometimes when you hear a word too often, you can become numb to its real power (Compassion sponsors and staff will understand). Hopefully this video restores some of that power by showing how God’s character is revealed in the word “compassion.”