Compassion
by jillangill on Apr.07, 2009, under Uncategorized
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” –Plato
It’s always been difficult for me not to get impatient with others; to remember the humanity and the struggles that bind us all together. It’s much easier to think that I’m special–more skilled, smarter, a better driver–and that this entitles me to treat others as if they are at best just obstacles for me to swerve around as I go about my life’s tasks. But what if instead my life’s tasks are nothing more than to stop, look into the eyes of the hurting, and listen to the lonely? What better mission is there than to genuinely care for another?
A wise teacher of mine once said: “You know, Jill, at all times everyone is doing the very best they are capable of.” I believe that now…do you? How easy is it to become frustrated with people who make poor decision after poor decision; how simple is it to condemn friends and family who don’t make the changes we feel they should make? I’ve found that if I take the time to really look at someone and realize their pain, it’s clear that they’re doing the best they can. The judgment doesn’t come so easily, then.
I’m struck by the perspective shift that occurs when I stop thinking of others as so different from me, and start realizing that we’re all just cells in a universal body. All of us are human, we all need Christ, we mess up and need to brush ourselves off, we need grace from each other.
My challenge to you this week is this: find a way–maybe just a small way–to show someone true compassion. Listen deeply, care genuinely, and smile at someone who doesn’t expect it. Life is tough, and we’re all in this together.
April 13th, 2009 on 9:08 am
Jill wrote: “How easy is it to become frustrated with people who make poor decision after poor decision; how simple is it to condemn friends and family who don’t make the changes we feel they should make?”
Very wise words indeed. I’m so often guilty of this very thing. Even when I put on the outward appearance of patience, often it’s because I’ve simply given up on them and lowered my expectations accordingly.
April 16th, 2009 on 11:23 am
I concur with you completely Jill that it is easy to be so focused on ourselves that we lack compassion for those around us. I have recently been considering how necessary it is for us, as Christians, to have an overabundance of compassion for those we might not otherwise be inclined to be compassionate to. We too often look to our friends and those we enjoy to show compassion to, while ignoring or making light of others.
I feel that we need to as a group unite and help those that are hurting. The first step in that would be to actually look around and maybe within our own group and see who is hurting. We have a responsibility to change and are commanded by God to love our neighbors.
August 14th, 2009 on 4:55 pm
Man…. I work for Compassion International. I should have somethig to say regarding this. The only thing that is clicking is pushing myself to be like a satelite dish… ready to pick up signals from the Holy Spirit to be Christ’s expression to others… as well as to myself.