Dr. Tan Tek Seng

Daily Reflection

November 5, 2025

"If you understand the meaning of 'I love mercy, not sacrifice,' you will not condemn the innocent to sin."

Matthew 12:7

In this world where criticism is easy and forgiveness is difficult, compassion is a courage imbued with faith. It is not weakness, but a life-changing force—not through power, but through love.

During World War II, Japanese diplomat Chie Sugihara, stationed in Lithuania, deeply understood the meaning of this statement. Faced with tens of thousands of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution, he chose compassion over obedience. Despite strict prohibitions from the Japanese government, he and his wife, Sachiko, risked their lives, handwriting visas day and night—one after another, until their fingers bled. Each visa was a lifeline; each signature was a silent protest against the cruel regime.

Even when forced to leave, he continued issuing visas on the train, throwing completed documents out the window to desperate people. He knew perfectly well that doing so could cost him everything: his position, his reputation, his future. But he also understood that the cost of silence was far greater.

After the war, he was dismissed from his post, forgotten, and lived an ordinary, even impoverished life, never defending himself. Years later, the world was astonished to discover that those visas had saved six thousand people and extended the lives of over forty thousand—because one man chose compassion rather than submission.

Chiasu Sugihara's story is a testament to humanitarianism and moral courage. He exemplified the truth of Matthew 12:7 through his actions—mercy is greater than the law, and love is greater than formalities.

This passage reminds us that mercy is not weakness, but a power derived from love. It is choosing forgiveness when others expect judgment, choosing compassion when institutions demand obedience, and seeing people's needs before religious ceremonies.

"Compassion will make the world less cruel and more just."