What’s a Playlist?
A Playlist is a set of activities exploring a topic. The activities might include reading an article or scripture, listening to a podcast or sermon, watching a video or movie clip. Each month we’ll post three Playlists designed for Children, Youth, and Adults. All of us will explore the same topic, but the Playlists will be designed for each age group. You can work your way through the Playlists at your own pace throughout the month.
Remember you can always share your thoughts in the comment section at the bottom of this page.
September Playlist
Compassion
Tessa Faust, Director of Youth Ministry
9/1/26
Introduction
The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your faithful shall bless you. – Psalm 145:8-10
Just as the Lord our God shows compassion throughout the Bible, so too are we called to show compassion to others. Compassion is being moved by the suffering of others and acts of compassion are actions taken on to alleviate the suffering of others. Jesus shows compassion in the New Testament when he healed the sick and fed the masses. Jesus gives us examples of compassion when he tells the parable of the Good Samaritan. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, a man is robbed and left for dead on the side of a dangerous road. Many people walk by the man and ignore his plight. Until a Samaritan man, a man of another religious group, comes up and helps him. This parable is told to answer the question “Who is my neighbor?” with the answer being the one who shows compassion.
Read
Gilbert teenager runs across a confused elderly woman with dementia in the Arizona heat. He gets her help and stays by her side until help arrives. His act of kindness and compassion potentially saved her life. Click the link below to read about his act of compassion.
Gilbert Teenager
Watch
Click the link below to watch a music video performance of Danny Gokey performing “Love God Love People”
Click the link below for a lyric video of the song “Jesus, Full of Compassion” by Caroline Cobb
Listen
Below you’ll find a link to NPR podcast episode that tells the story of Kellie Gillespie. She took a psychology class online and applied the concepts to her daily life. This experiment helped her rethink how she looks at empathy and compassion. Kellie tells a specific story of her talking with a man she passed by everyday and how it changed her life.
NPR Podcast–The Science of Compassion
Pray
Click the link below for a beautiful prayer of compassion from Trietsch United Methodist Church in Flower Mound, Texas.
Compassion Prayer
Desert Cross Faith Formation 