GARMENT 1: COMPASSION

REAL MEN FEEL — AND ACT

Some guys think compassion is weakness. Too soft. Too emotional. But biblical compassion isn’t passive pity. It’s gut-level empathy that moves you to action.

The Greek word here is splagchnon, which literally refers to your guts — your inner parts. It’s not just “feeling bad” for someone. It’s feeling it so deeply that you can’t just stand there. You have to do something. That’s the kind of compassion Jesus showed over and over — healing the sick, feeding the hungry, welcoming the outsider. Moved… and mobilized.

Compassion doesn’t ignore pain. It enters it. It slows down enough to see people — and step into their mess, even when it costs something.

If you’re too busy to be moved, you’re too busy to be like Jesus.

WHY MEN AVOID COMPASSION

Let’s be real — many men avoid compassion because it feels inconvenient. We don’t want to slow down for someone’s pain when we’re running on empty. We’re wired to fix, not feel. And when we can’t fix it, we pull away — not from apathy, but uncertainty.

But compassion isn’t weakness — it’s spiritual alertness. It’s seeing people like Jesus does and refusing to look away. It’s holy discomfort that stops you from passing by. Compassion moves. It shows up. It interrupts your plans for someone else’s need.

You can’t influence who you don’t care about — and you won’t care if you stay numb.

COMPASSION AT WORK

Compassion at work doesn’t lower the bar — it lifts the person. It doesn’t excuse poor performance; it remembers people are more than what they produce. Compassionate leaders keep the standard but refuse to sacrifice souls for results.

This kind of man pays attention. He notices when someone’s off — not to scold, but to lean in. He sees exhaustion behind the smile, silence that screams, and stress others ignore.

We’re in a real fight with an enemy who deceives, accuses, and steals joy. Compassion doesn’t fix everything, but it refuses to let others suffer alone. Sometimes the most Christlike thing is to climb into the foxhole and say, “I’m not leaving.” Presence is powerful.

THE CEO WHO KNEW THEIR NAMES
Herb Kelleher, co-founder of Southwest Airlines, built one of the most successful airlines in U.S. history — not by cutting corners, but by caring for people. He was known for remembering employees’ names, writing personal notes, and defending his team fiercely.

He once said, “A company is stronger if it is bound by love rather than by fear.”

Kelleher believed that if he treated employees with compassion, they’d treat customers the same way. And he was right — Southwest became legendary for both company culture and customer service.

What if your leadership was fueled by that kind of compassion — the kind that doesn’t compromise excellence, but strengthens it?

CHALLENGE QUESTIONS

1. Where have you become numb to other people’s pain?
2. Is your leadership marked more by pressure or compassion?
3. What’s one way you can lead with empathy this week — not as a strategy, but as a reflection of Christ?

PRAYER

Jesus, give me Your eyes to see the people around me — not just their performance, but their pain. Break through the walls I’ve built around my heart. Teach me to lead with compassion that reflects Your heart — strong, steady, and sacrificial. Make me the kind of man who doesn’t just notice — but moves.

ACTION STEP

Real compassion doesn’t flinch — it leans in. Watch for those quietly struggling — not just friends, but anyone God puts in your path. You may not fix their situation, and that’s okay. You can speak hope, offer a prayer, or bring life to their day. Be the man who doesn’t walk past the wounded. That’s where compassion becomes real.

COMPASSION
Seeing people through the eyes of Christ. Choosing to care — even when it’s costly. Feeling what others feel, and letting that empathy move you to action.