Two Virtues

# Two Noble Virtues

Ochsner Health is a leading nonprofit healthcare provider in the Gulf South region. Ochsner operates 46 hospitals and more than 370 healthcare clinics and emergency centers. For 13 consecutive years, U.S. News and World Report has recognized Ochsner as the number one healthcare institution in Louisiana. In 2024, Ochsner Health cared for more than 1.6 million patients from all states across the United States and 63 countries. Ochsner's workforce includes more than 40,000 dedicated staff members and more than 4,900 selected physicians.

In early April 2025, the Louisiana State Nurses Association (LSNA) honored four outstanding nurses from Ochsner Health among an honor roll of 40 nurses for 2025. Ms. Tiffany Murdock, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer of Ochsner Health, expressed her thoughts about these honored nurses, saying: "We are extremely proud of those recognized at Ochsner. These are people who have demonstrated compassion and kindness, and we are very fortunate to have them on our team." These nurses were recognized because they worked with compassion and goodness to help their patients heal.

These two noble virtues can also be seen in our beloved Lord Jesus, and He also teaches all believers to live this way, to express love toward all people, strengthen relationships between people, and help others draw closer to God!

Kindness relates to action. It includes friendliness, generosity, and thoughtfulness toward others. For example, holding a door open for someone to enter a home or smiling at everyone are acts of kindness. Kindness is the fifth virtue among the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit, expressed in Galatians 5:22. It is often an outward expression of goodwill and does not necessarily require deep emotional feeling.

Compassion goes deeper; it involves empathy and understanding. Compassion is an emotional state in which a person feels the suffering of another and desires to find a way to ease that pain. The term "compassion" originates from Latin and means "to suffer together." In essence, kindness can be considered an action, while compassion is a feeling that usually motivates that action. Compassion and kindness—both are necessary to nurture positive relationships and create a caring community, closely related yet distinct virtues.

Jesus Christ is kind and full of compassion. He was moved with compassion, healed many sick people, fed large crowds when He knew they were hungry, and even died for the sins of the whole world! One of many deeds expressing His kindness and compassion is recorded in Matthew 20:29-34, where Jesus healed two blind men near Jericho. As Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho, two blind men sat by the roadside begging. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out: "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" (Matthew 20:30). Although the crowd tried to silence them, the two blind men continued to cry out to Jesus for healing. Jesus stopped and asked them what they wanted Him to do. The two blind men answered: "Lord, let our eyes be opened." Jesus was moved with compassion and touched their eyes; immediately they received their sight and followed Him" (Matthew 20:33-34). Despite the crowd's resistance, Jesus did not hesitate, stopped, and went to heal the blindness of these two men. His action shows us that true compassion often involves overcoming social barriers in order to help those in need. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort" (2 Corinthians 1:3), He always does what is good!

Let us imitate Jesus and live with kindness and compassion, always caring for all people, regardless of their social status or family circumstances. "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32). Thanks be to Jesus, kind and full of compassion, who forgave us, died in our place for our sins, and made us His beloved people! We give thanks to God, glory, almighty power, His Name above all names! There is nothing more precious than being in God's house and following His will! May the Holy Spirit strengthen us, always believe, live to glorify God's Name, full of kindness and compassion, helping others come to believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior; so that they too may live in His good providence, and when Christ returns, all people will return to the blessed Heaven forever! Amen!

Honor, thanksgiving, and praise to God, Glory, power, and God Almighty, Christ Jesus, who accomplishes all, Joy to have God everywhere!

With all heart, all mind, and all strength, Compassion and care for all people, Help others come to know God, The Gospel proclaimed everywhere!

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