When I answered the doorbell I was in no mood to be trifled with. Two minority children, a brother and sister I judged - dressed in torn, ill fitting clothes stood looking at my Nike sweat suit as though I was a genie in the lamp. "Wow," the boy said, with admiration in his voice, "Your top matches your bottom. Would you like to buy some candy mister? We're trying to sell candy to make some money to go to camp this summer."

I don't eat candy - and if I did, I wouldn't have eaten this particular candy. It looked old and "handled," the wrappers were torn, leaving the candy exposed in places. "It's just fifty cents a bar."

"I'll tell you what," I said, "I'll give you five dollars for camp, and you keep the candy." "Great! Thanks mister."

Sure I knew it could be a scam, but compassion is not a premeditated, calculated response it is spontaneous, rising from the very nature of a person's character and personality. Jesus was "filled with compassion." Compassion is inherent in the divine nature, and as Christians take on that divine nature, it must become inherent in them as well.