Have Compassion on one another

Something that I have said multiple times throughout my life, even amongst my blog is the importance of having compassion and showing that compassion to one another.  However, if I am honest I never really thought that much about what compassion actually means by looking at the real definition of the word.  The definition of compassion is, “sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.” In lay man’s terms as I would define it is to spend time listening to the thoughts and concerns of others while also finding ways to best help them in their situation.  Even though it is not your problem and it may not have anything to do with you, there is love for that person that they want to alleviate their problem or pain.  

This relates to a verse that I recently read in my devotional of Proverbs 31:8, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.”  I believe that this verse really goes well with compassion.  This is because this verse doesn’t just talk about listening to someone, but this verse talks about speaking up for those people.   This verse also points out that just because their problem might not have anything to do with you and helping them won’t necessarily help you, you still reach out because it is just simply the right thing to do.  This can then eventually someday be impactful for you as some day in the future, you may need to have some compassion shown to you.    

There are so many people in the world who sadly don’t have the exact ability to stand up for themselves.  There are people who have some disabilities where they will not be able to speak for themselves.  There are those who are poor, and even though they may have a voice, it is not often heard in a world that prioritizes the rich.  There is also, of course, something that is always on my heart of those that are stuck in human trafficking and modern day slavery.  They don’t have the ability to speak up themselves either.  They can’t stand up to their traffickers and their slave masters.  Even though I am blessed that I have never experienced this kind of injustice, that doesn’t mean I can’t have compassion and show empathy to the people who have experienced this. 

Showing compassion doesn’t have to be an extremely big or eventful experience.  It can be showing compassion to someone who is having a bad day.  Even if you have not experienced the type of bad day that you find someone else has, that doesn’t mean one can’t listen or show compassion to that person on that day.  You still have the chance to be the person that is there for them.  This can be done through a simple compliment, a heartfelt note, or a simple act of service for someone that you love or care for.  

There was recently a quote that I found that says,“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”  This is an awesome quote from the legendary Anne Frank.  People don’t need to wait in order to change the world.  Any day and everyday we could choose to change the world and make it an overall better place.  A person doesn’t need to have a grand plan in order to decide to start changing the world.  A person just has to decide to make the simple kind gestures, acts, or words that can uplift someone to change their world.  

What is the way that you can best make the world a better place on this very day that you are reading this?  What is the thing that you can do that can make someone smile, laugh, or just in general help them out in a significant way? Is there a person that you feel it would be good to help out?  There will most likely be a pull in your heart at the direction that you feel is best to go and to help them.  I feel, especially because of this year and everything that has happened, there should be a use of more compassion in the world.  I feel there are many people in the world who are very desperate for compassion, for love, for kindness, and for just general positive interaction.  My challenge for you this week is to reach out to that person.  Leave that kind note, help them out in the way that you need help the person that your heart is pulling you to help.