The Power of Compassion

As I look around at the world today I can’t help but cringe a little. You don’t have to type too many letters on a keyboard or turn too many channels with your remote to stumble across current events that leave you wondering, “how did we get to where we are”? With an inkling of knowledge from the book of Revelations, any Christian can easily rule that the world’s current events were all prophesied years ago and we are just living in those “last days”.  My mind often wonders beyond that. I look at situations, both big and small, and choose between different red flags to try and decipher the root of the problem. One of the things I feel are a hindrance in multiple areas of life is the lack of compassion. It is so easy to get more engrossed in what someone does to us versus using the same energy in another situation to figure out what we can do for someone else.

Compassion is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as the “sympathetic consciousness of others distress together with a desire to alleviate it”. When I read this definition the first person that came to mind was Jesus. He lived and breathed with great compassion for others. In fact, his compassion is one thing that drew so many to him. In a world where so many people have grown heartless and care less about others I find it very vital to express how compassion costs us nothing, but can change the life of another. As humans we are all susceptible to life’s blows. Nobody is immune to trying times; from losing your job, losing a loved one, becoming seriously ill, dealing with a bad break up, or simply being in distress due to a flat tire or random mishap. We have all been there.

We are a product of the things we have faced, and a reflection of how we allowed them to affect us. Everyone has a story. Some filled with more grief than others. I feel it is important to remember how we felt when we were in the midst of a storm, even after we begin seeing the sunshine illuminate again. By doing this, we tear down our walls and make room to feel genuine compassion towards others. It’s never good to get through a trying time, survive, and then plant ourselves on a high horse. We must remember that once upon a time our eyes were full of tears, our heart-ached, and we were not sure what to do. Even if you went through this all alone think of the compassion God granted you. He heard your prayers, and maybe even wrapped his arms around you without you ever reaching out to him for help. He wanted to show you his love, even when you had lost love for yourself. If you have experienced this then you have stared the most pure form of compassion directly in the face. You saw how you could be moved from a state of helplessness and cast back into a life full of hope. Next time you see someone having a hard time remember how your life was changed by someone who cared enough to come to your rescue when you couldn’t save yourself.

We walk around with more power to bring change within us than we realize. No, everyone won’t catch on to the power of compassion. There will always be heartless and hateful individuals, but every time someone extends a loving helping hand another life is touched. We have all heard “If you add fuel to the fire you will get burned”, “two wrongs don’t make a right” and “don’t return evil for evil.”  Remember our children are the future so if you are a parent instill this characteristic in your child, and children learn best by example. Live your life full of compassion.