Siezing Compassion w/Guest Speaker Pastor Judy Hoff 11am

Sep 06, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When Garbage Cans Become Hideouts: Seeing the Unseen

A woman claws at a locked dumpster on a rainy night, seeking shelter from abuse. This moment reveals how desperation hides in plain sight. Jesus noticed crowds others avoided, responding not with paralysis but healing. Compassion begins by training our eyes to truly see the marginalized—the cold, hungry, and traumatized who’ve learned not to trust. It demands we ask why someone would choose a trash bin over human help. Every ignored face carries a story begging to be honored. [01:02:04]

When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (Matthew 14:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: Who have you trained yourself not to see during your daily routines? What practical step could help you pause long enough to learn their story?

Day 2: Godfidence Over Self-Confidence: Walking in Holy Boldness

Fear freezes us when facing addicts, sex workers, or agitated strangers. Godfidence—surrendered trust in divine protection—replaces self-reliance with holy audacity. This isn’t naivety but obedience: praying “Should I approach?” then acting if peace comes. The scariest people often crumble when addressed as “sir” or “sister.” Confidence here isn’t about personal courage but believing God loves the broken as fiercely as He loves you. [56:31]

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32, ESV)

Reflection: Where does self-preservation currently override your willingness to engage hurting people? What would “holy audacity” look like in your commute or workplace?

Day 3: From Empty Rooms to Safe Havens: Answering God’s Nudge

A church basement becomes sanctuary because one woman asked “What if?” then begged for keys. Esther’s Place began with a single room, expanding through holy stubbornness. Every resource—donated clothes, volunteer hours, soup pots—multiplies when offered. Compassion seizes available spaces: parking lots become outreach hubs, Bible study groups morph into rescue teams. God builds havens through those willing to pester pastors and repurpose closets. [01:05:20]

The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. (Psalm 116:5, ESV)

Reflection: What unused space, skill, or resource could you leverage for others’ good? Who needs your persistent “What if?” questions today?

Day 4: Compassion With Feet: Moving Beyond Pity to Partnership

Pity says “I feed the hungry” while waiting for them to find your soup kitchen. Compassion meets addicts where they shoot up, guides trafficked women to safe houses, and hands socks to frostbitten feet. It’s less about programs than posture: stopping cars, sharing lunches, praying over garbage can hideouts. Jesus healed while moving through crowds; we’re called to wear out shoe leather, not just ache hearts. [50:50]

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. (Luke 10:33-34, ESV)

Reflection: When have you spiritualized inaction with “I’ll pray about it”? What person or place requires your physical presence this week?

Day 5: Laying Down Self to Pick Up the Broken: The Exchange of Surrender

Compassion demands trading comfort for inconvenience, safety for vulnerability. It means releasing the right to be irritated, judgmental, or clean. Surrender looks like praying with meth users despite their stench, hugging lice-infested women, and letting go of outcomes when help is rejected. This exchange—our pride for their dignity—mirrors Christ’s trade: divinity for flesh, heaven’s throne for a criminal’s cross. [01:17:48]

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV)

Reflection: What personal comfort or preference are you clinging to that blocks compassion? How might releasing it free you to love like Christ?

Sermon Summary

Jesus, in Matthew 14:13-14, sees a big hurting crowd and has compassion on them. Compassion does not stand back, feel sad, and walk away. Compassion heals, feeds, prays, listens, gives clothes, gives a bottle of water, and treats a broken person like a human being. Seizing compassion means taking hold of it, chasing after it, and capturing the chance to do something.

The broken people on the streets are not less loved by God. God loves the hungry, cold, abused, addicted, scared, and left-out people as much as He loves anybody sitting safely in a church. Fear can keep believers from doing anything, but Jesus is not afraid of the broken. Jesus sees through the scary outside and finds people who are often scared because of what has happened to them.

Godfidence stands against self-confidence. Godfidence says, “I can’t, but He can.” Godfidence surrenders the mind, will, and emotions to the Holy Spirit, then asks God whether it is time to step forward. Wisdom still matters, and nobody needs to be stupid or careless, but fear cannot be allowed to rule the heart. God can lead somebody to offer food, prayer, resources, safety, or simply a kind conversation.

Ephesians 4:32 calls God’s people to be kind, compassionate, forgiving, and tenderhearted. Kindness cannot stay inside church walls or only reach people who are easy to love. Negativity, gossip, anger, malice, judgment, and being easily offended block the compassion Jesus has placed in His people. The more love grows, the less fuss takes over homes, workplaces, and relationships.

A frightened woman trying to climb into a garbage can became a picture of compassion that had to move its feet. God used that heartbreaking moment to show the need for a safe place for homeless women and children in Snohomish County. Esther’s Place began with one little room, then grew through prayer, courage, generous help, and a willingness to keep saying yes. God’s heart has feet, and God’s hands and feet carry His love into real pain.

God’s will calls each person to lay down self-will, guilt, shame, fear, and selfishness. God’s love calls each person to pick up kindness, goodness, courage, and compassion. God has a plan for ordinary people, and a group of people filled with the heart of Jesus can change a city. Godfidence helps believers run toward the work God puts in front of them, trusting that He will make a way.

Key Takeaways

1. Compassion has to move its feet. Compassion is more than noticing somebody’s pain and feeling bad about it. Compassion becomes real when it gives, listens, prays, serves, and follows through. God’s heart reaches hurting people through ordinary hands and willing feet. [48:24]
2. God loves the broken just as much. The homeless, addicted, traumatized, and frightened are not outside God’s concern. Jesus is not intimidated by people whose pain looks messy or scary. God’s people are called to see a brother or sister where fear only sees a problem. [54:16]
3. Godfidence replaces fearful self-reliance. Godfidence does not pretend a person is naturally brave, strong, or capable enough. Godfidence surrenders the mind, will, and emotions to the Holy Spirit and trusts God’s leading. Godfidence says, “I can’t, but He can.” [56:50]
4. A broken heart can build refuge. A painful encounter can become the beginning of God’s provision for many people. Esther’s Place began because compassion refused to accept that frightened women and children had nowhere safe to go. God can multiply one faithful yes into food, safety, resources, dignity, and hope. [64:19]
5. Negativity blocks the flow of compassion. Judgment, offense, gossip, and irritation keep the heart turned inward. Kindness and forgiveness make room for God’s love to flow into families, workplaces, and streets. Holiness includes refusing to let negative thoughts rule the soul.

## [77:27]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[47:54] - Jesus Has Compassion on the Crowd
[48:24] - Seizing Compassion Takes Action
[49:10] - God Loves the People on the Streets
[52:17] - Treat Broken People Like Humans
[53:23] - Fear and Trusting God
[56:50] - Godfidence, Not Self-Confidence
[57:33] - Kindness, Compassion, and Forgiveness
[61:33] - The Woman by the Garbage Can
[64:19] - The Beginning of Esther’s Place
[66:52] - A Safe Place Grows
[68:46] - God’s Heart Has Feet
[71:12] - I Can’t, But He Can
[73:25] - Laying Down Self-Will
[77:27] - Letting Go of Negativity
[81:38] - Prayer for Godfidence

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 14:13–14
“Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” [48:24]

Ephesians 4:32
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” [57:33]

Psalm 116:5
“Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; our God is merciful.” [01:13:40]

Observation questions

In Matthew 14:13–14, what does Jesus do after He sees the large crowd and has compassion on them? [48:20]
What are some specific actions that show compassion toward people who are hungry, cold, alone, or hurting?
According to Ephesians 4:32, what three ways are believers told to treat one another? [57:33]
What kinds of negative attitudes and behaviors were named as things that can block compassion in homes, workplaces, and relationships? [01:17:42]

Interpretation questions

Jesus had compassion on the crowd and healed their sick. What does this show about the difference between merely feeling sorry for someone and responding with Christlike compassion? [48:26]
Ephesians 4:32 connects kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness to the forgiveness believers have received in Christ. Why do these things belong together, especially when someone is difficult to love?
The people who appear scary, distant, or broken may also be scared because of trauma, abuse, addiction, or rejection. How does this truth change the way believers should see and speak about hurting people? [01:00:21]
“Godfidence” means saying, “I can’t, but He can.” How does surrendering the mind, will, and emotions to God help a believer take wise action instead of being ruled by fear? [01:11:21]

Application questions

Think about the people you regularly notice but may pass by: a neighbor, coworker, family member, person on the street, or someone at church. What is one simple, wise step of compassion you could take this week—listening, offering food, sharing a resource, praying, giving a ride, or checking in? [52:09]
Is there someone you have been tempted to label as a problem rather than see as a person loved by God? What might it look like to treat that person with dignity while still using wisdom and healthy boundaries? [54:16]
When fear keeps you from helping, what is the difference between wise caution and fear that rules your heart? How could you pause and ask God for direction before acting? [55:32]
Where do you most need Godfidence right now: in your family, work, neighborhood, finances, ministry, or a hard conversation? What would it mean for you to say, “I can’t, but He can,” in that situation? [57:06]
Is there a need that has broken your heart or stayed on your mind? Rather than trying to solve everything at once, what might be the “one little room” kind of first step God is inviting you to take? [01:05:01]
Who is one person you need to forgive or show more tenderness toward this week? What negativity, gossip, offense, or irritation do you need to lay down so compassion has room to grow? [01:16:16]
God’s heart has feet. What gifts, time, relationships, skills, or resources has God already placed in your hands that could become help, safety, hope, or encouragement for someone else? [01:10:21]

Sermon Clips

48s

#EsthersPlaceRescue

“Use your feet. Take action. Esther's place is the answer to the problem. Women and children that were cold, abused, hungry, and alone. Now because of Esther's place, they have food, safety, clothes, and resources to change their lives, and the majority of them do. They just didn't have a place to feel safe to get moving forward. God is asking us to do his work on earth, Not just work, but through us, they will see him, his love, his kindness, his grace, his mercy. And by his hands and feet, that's us, carry his burdens for the lost and the broken. If I can, I tell you I'm nothing special? You can too. We're just people.”

41s

#LayDownAndLiveFull

“Do you wanna lay down the things that are not of God in your mind? Do you wanna lay down the things in your body that you've been doing that may not be of God? You wanna lay down the worries and the fears and the concerns that you carry because you have guilt and shame? Lay them down. God loves you. He wants the best for you. He wants you to live life to the full till it overflows with goodness, and he wants you to put your hand behind you and start grabbing some folks and do the same. That's what God wants.”

52s

#NotAfraidOfTheBroken

“We are too afraid of the broken. Jesus isn't. Jesus isn't afraid of the broken. He loves them as much as he loves us. And so, I'm called to talk this way because I believe we're supposed to be different. I believe we're supposed to start seizing and doing something different. So, you know, we know there's a lot of addiction, We all know about that world or at least I do. And we know there's sex trafficking, and we know that there is abuse in homes and on the streets. We know those things, don't we? But what can we do as Christian brothers and sisters? And it's not about you need to have money to help somebody.”

40s

#SeizeActionNotSight

“But to seize is an action word, and it means to take hold of, to chase after, and to capture. It means far more than to look at them and go, oh gosh, look at that poor person. It means a lot more than that. And so often we don't know what to do so we don't do anything. Sometimes we're frightened too, aren't we? We see things that we don't know if we should get involved in. Maybe they'll hurt me. But the fact is if you're under the authority of Jesus Christ, you're gonna be fine.”

32s

#LoveYourNeighborAct

“We are created to be loving to all our neighbors, even those street folks. Right? I'm not saying run up to the guy who's shooting up. I'm not saying that. I'm saying when God shows you somebody, do something about it. Right? That's the difference. You've gotta do something when he does it. We are created to help the helpless and seize compassion. Lives are healed because you and I care.”

42s

#LoveMoreLessFuss

“Lord God, we just thank you, father, that we can love like you because you tell us we can. And it doesn't matter if they're different than us. It could even be in our home and we're irritated with our maid or our children. Stop it. Good golly folks. We're all just people. And if we have negative thoughts, they block the compassion that Jesus gave you. Remember that word? Because it's true. The more we love, the less we fuss.”

53s

#GodfidenceTakeAction

“Do not hold on to negativity because Godfidence is about love, caring, kindness, goodness. God is the fruits of the spirit. We all know those, but we, here we are, very holy spirit filled group of folks. We are still some of us at times hanging on to things that aren't good, lovely, and true. Amen? What I'm saying to you is get over it. Take action. Say, God, help me be holy. I wanna be holy. I wanna be holy, God. I don't wanna judge anybody. I don't wanna hurt anybody. I wanna love like you love.”

35s

#TrustToSeizeCompassion

“So we as God's people, we need to seize compassion with love and compassion to help and give hope and healing to others. God's will is that we love our neighbor as ourself. Now, here's another subject. You gotta love yourself too. You've gotta trust in the Lord with all your heart, mind, body, and spirit. You do. To be able to seize compassion, you have to trust him. We're created to be loving to ourselves and our neighbors, and each of us has a God given purpose.”

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