Compassion

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How can I help?

“What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.” – Augustine

There are needs all around us. In some cases, it’s clear what we should do to help. At other times, we’re not sure what to do. Paul, in his letter to the church in Thessalonica, gave some specific instructions for coming alongside someone in need. He said, “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). Let’s think about that.

  • Admonish the idle. The idle need to be reminded of what they can and should do; our role may be to help them understand that and, if the person is open to it, to assist with a resume, idea, or connection to get started.
  • Encourage the fainthearted. Many are just tired or discouraged. They may need counseling, direction, encouragement, or a boost – helping them get to a point of being able to take care of themselves.
  • Help the weak: We need to take care of those who cannot take care of themselves. Some of you are in this situation with an elderly parent, disabled child, or someone with a chronic illness. It’s not easy, and maybe that’s why Paul concludes with . . .
  • Be patient with them all.

If there is a crisis, we need to act decisively as the Good Samaritan did. If we have more time, Paul advises considering the particular situation we are presented with and then acting with wisdom and compassion. It’s not just about helping, it’s about relationship.

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” – Hebrews 13:16

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Start with one.

“Our efforts to be useful bring out our powers for usefulness. We have latent talents and dormant faculties, which are brought to light by exercise.” – Charles Spurgeon

We usually know the things we are good at and we like doing them. But what about things we aren’t so good at? Sometimes it’s not that we’ve tried and failed, it’s that we haven’t tried at all. And some of the things we should try are those commanded by God himself.

I’m thinking now about compassion. Jesus was the perfect example of compassion. We see it as he healed the sick, wept at his friend’s grave, talked with a Samaritan women, and fed hungry crowds. How can we learn to feel compassion for those in need and then act on that feeling as Jesus did?

For some people, that’s easy. They exude compassion and they act accordingly. For others of us, it’s more of an effort. But it’s an effort the Holy Spirit will empower us to make because he is making us more like Jesus.

Maybe we learn it like we learn any new skill: One step at a time. If we want to grow our compassion for others, we can begin by showing compassion to one person. That’s not too hard, right? Find someone in need and let yourself care. Then act. Maybe they need groceries, a listening ear, help writing a resume, relationship advice, spiritual counsel, or transportation to an appointment. There are many ways we can help, but first we have to care.

I’m learning that one act of compassion will stimulate more. Over time we might find ourselves caring more deeply, loving others just as Jesus commanded. It’s OK to start small. Start with one.

“Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” – Proverbs 11:25

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Christian Privilege

“This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” – 1 John 2:5-6

We hear a lot these days about privilege, most frequently “white privilege”. We know it’s true, don’t we, that some of us grew up in more privileged circumstances than others? We had food to eat, decent clothes to wear. We had a safe place to live and got to go to school every day. 

We also know that with privilege comes responsibility. The Bible itself tells us that in Luke 12:48, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted much, much more will be asked.” It’s a biblical principal we must take seriously.

In light of that, think about this: As Christians, we have a far greater privilege than that which is afforded by our ethnicity, race, family stability, or the level of our education. We have the privilege of knowing and serving the living God! And with that comes greater responsibility than any social privilege might give us.

How do we live out that responsibility? We learn to yield to the Holy Spirit who will enable us to live as Jesus would if he were living our lives. We already know Jesus was confrontive with abusers, kind to children, compassionate toward the weak, patient with his followers, and enlightening to seekers of truth. His was the greatest privilege of all – after all he was the Son of God! He showed us how to live out privilege through humility and self-sacrifice.

The good news is that Christian privilege is available to all, no matter religion, race, gender, or intellect. If we know that, we have a responsibility to spread the word!

” . . . life’s joys are only joys if they can be shared.” – Ravi Zacharias