Our world needs compassion like never before. There is such a great need. In the last few weeks we have seen people dumping water over their heads to raise awareness for ALS. This is a awful disease. ALS is certainly a situation where compassion is needed.
At the same time we watch the headlines about the violence in Ferguson, MO. Then we see a horrific scene in Iraq where children are being beheaded. Israel and Hamas continue waring against each other. While this happens 3,000 children die each day because of inadequate and contaminated water. Malaria accounts for 700,000 deaths annually. It is tragic. It is heart breaking.
With the great need in the world today, there are several ways we respond:
We avoid it
Sometimes we don’t know about it because we don’t want to know. It is said that ignorance is bliss. If we keep our eyes and ears closed to the hurt around us then we will not be bothered by it or feel the need to respond.
We ignore it
Ignoring it is a close cousin to avoiding it. This is where we recognize the need, but choose not to do anything about it. We live busy lives and we don’t need anything interrupting our plans. We make the excuse that we can’t do anything about it, but the truth is that we don’t want to do anything.
We are overwhelmed by it
Who am I? What can I do? Sometimes the need seems so great that I am just overwhelmed by it all. I don’t know where to start. Instead of doing something, I do nothing.
We condemn
This is when we blame people for their circumstances. We think to ourselves that they deserve the situation they are in. We consider them not worthy of our help and any effort we might put towards them to be a waste.
We exploit it
There is the obvious exploitation of the poor. There are those who prey upon the disadvantaged. But there is a more subtle form of exploitation. There are many who have profited off of being “ministers of mercy.” Maybe my motivation for dumping a bucket of ice water is to simply draw attention to myself on Facebook. Maybe our church does a charity event but the goal is not to help others in needs as much as it is about recruiting people to attend our church. The ultimate goal is not helping those in need, but helping ourselves.
We respond with compassionate hearts
Colossians 3:12 tells us to put on compassionate hearts. A heart of compassion does not expect anything in return. It is not motivated by guilt. It is motivated by love. A compassionate heart is not bent on making another person come to my way of thinking or living. It meets people where they are at. A compassionate heart does not feel superior because it recognizes it needs to get compassion as much as give compassion. The original Greek word for compassion in the Bible literally means “to be moved in one’s bowels.” Compassion is an intense inner feeling. It is so intense that you have no other option than to respond.
The beginning of compassion is found in a relationship with Jesus. Jesus shows us what compassion is. Jesus responds to us with compassion (Matthew 9:36, Luke 7:13, 2 Corinthians 1:3). A person who offers compassion is a person who has received compassion. Compassion cannot be manufactured. It can only be received as a gift. Let Jesus offer you his compassion today. Let him do the surgery upon your heart to remove any apathy, resentment, or greed. If your heart is be moved, Jesus is the one to do the heavy lifting. Ask him to give you a heart like his.
Craig says
Beautiful words regarding compassion. Perhaps the war that hurts us the, where the most atrocities occur are often within the battles of our own minds. If we chose to be compassionate to ourselves, the out wars would end ?
Julia Erickson says
Love, Love, Love this message!