It was early morning, and the visitor in the home of Dr. A. B. Simpson tiptoed quietly down the hall preparing to slip out for a walk in the gray dawn. As he passed the door of Dr. Simpson’s study, the visitor glanced in.

To his amazement he saw the great missionary statesman seated there at his desk — already up, dressed and busy at his work. The visitor started to callout a greeting to Dr. Simpson, but just in time noticed that the elderly missionary executive was reading his Bible and deeply engrossed in his morning devotions. So the guest, still undetected, turned to leave. But then what he saw next made him stop in holy reverence.

Dr. Simpson had finished reading his Bible and had begun to pray. He did not drop to his knees beside the desk, nor did he even bow his head and close his eyes. Instead, he had reached out to the end of his desk and pulled toward him a small globe. And now he was slowly revolving it and praying – aloud – for all the lost multitudes of earth as the various countries of the world passed before him. “I felt that I stood on holy ground,” testified the visitor, and then his awe and wonder increased at what he saw next.

Dr. Simpson had finished his prayer, his scholarly voice betraying the deep and growing emotion which he felt,  Suddenly the distinguished old missionary put his arms around the globe and hugged it to him, as if trying to “love the lost home to God.” Then he bent his head over the globe and wept until it seemed the tears that now ran freely down Dr. Simpson’s cheeks struck the top of the globe and there divided — down one side and the other, until the whole earth was wet with the tears of compassion.

“All that I could think of then,” recalled the visitor, “were the words of Psalm 126: ‘They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.'” Dr. Simpson’s missionaries had planted the seed of the Word of God in the hearts of multitudes around the globe….and so now he sought to “water” that seed with the tears of compassion!

What about you? Does your  heart ever break with the things that break the heart of God? Ask God to give you a heart warm with the constraining love of Christ….and eyes that are wet with the tears of compassion!

O for a passionate passion
for souls,
O for a pity that yearns;
O for a love that loves
unto death
O for a fire that burns!
–Adapted from World Vision