Skip to main content

#LightTheWorld by Showing Compassion




I have always been impressed by the Bible verse that simply states, "Jesus wept."  Mary and Martha, friends of Jesus, were sad because their brother Lazarus was dead.  When Jesus saw their sorrow, he wept.  Even though he had the power to raise Lazarus from the dead (and he did bring him back to life), Jesus did not minimize the feelings of those who were grieving.  He took the time to mourn with them.  After he wept with them, he performed the miracle.
John 11:35, Christ mourns with those that mourn
Jesus weeps, as Mary and Martha mourn.  (source)

What can I learn from this?  I can have compassion on others, even if I can see a clear solution to the problem.  Feelings are valid and real, even though they might be fleeting.  I can share in the feelings of others, even if my own circumstances might be more pressing. (It was after this miracle of Jesus that the chief priests and Pharisees sought to kill him.) 

 Developing true compassion takes time--perhaps even a lifetime. Though I am still working on becoming a more compassionate person, I remember years ago having an "a-ha" moment in line at the pharmacy.

 I had just been released from the hospital after delivering a very small, very early, very sick baby.  He remained in the hospital, of course, and I did not know what the future held for him.  I had two other children at home.  I was recovering from an emergency crash c-section.  I was physically and emotionally drained.  I don't even remember now why I was in line at the pharmacy, but as I waited in line, an older woman in front of me starting talking to me.  She was so worried about her grandchildren.  One had broken a bone, and the other had a low-grade fever.  

 Inwardly, I thought, "Oh that's not bad!" My first impulse was to tell her of my circumstance, but fortunately, I bit my tongue.  I thought of her needs.  My situation would not change her concern for her grandchildren.  I just listened to her, and as I did, I felt the joy that comes from helping someone.  Yes, I would have "won" the "How bad are things for you" contest, but that game really would have had no winner.  Instead, we both won. She got to vent a little bit of her worry, and I felt the joy of service.  

 Today's #LightTheWorld challenge is to show compassion.  No matter how you choose to participate, the world will be a little brighter for your compassion.  

 (I missed posting the #LightTheWorld challenge yesterday, but it was about worshipping through song.  That is an easy one, I think, especially this month.  You could listen to The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's 24/7 commercial-free station, attend Christmas concerts, or go caroling to your neighbors.  I'm sure you can think of other ideas, too.  Enjoy the music of the season!)

 photo visiting2_zps6d4521f3.jpg

photo ThankfulThought4_zps7d9599c2.jpg
Thanks for compassion--given and received.

photo signature3_zps16be6bca.jpg


Pin It

Comments

  1. Rozy LassDecember 16, 2016 at 11:54 AM

    I too have learned that lesson, it's better to let the other person "shine" for a moment than to always have to one up them. I'll get my turn later.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KristiDecember 18, 2016 at 5:41 PM

      Often, what is needed is just a listening ear.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Conversations are so much nicer when more than one person does the talking. :-) Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts; I'd love to hear from you!

Popular posts from this blog

Ten Things of Thankful: Live from Oregon, part 2

stock photo of old computer monitor When I was 10 or 11, I remember sitting next to my dad in our living room and reading computer code to him as he entered it into an Apple computer. We would finish the exercise and he would hit enter (or was it "run"?) and wait expectantly for the green type to appear on the screen. If we were lucky, the whole conversation would occur. Most often, there would be an error either in my dictation of the code, or in the typing of the code. We would then go painstakingly back through the lines, character by character, to find and correct the error. After what seemed like hours (and might have been), we would succeed and the computer would finally run the entire program. It was magical! My dad designed and built an earth-sheltered, passive solar home decades before solar panels were commonplace. He also was on a 9-month waiting list for a Prius, when hybrids were not seen on every street.  While my dad is definitely on the cutting edge of technol...
5 comments
Read more

Ten Things of Thankful: Oregon Edition, Part 3

  A western bluebird, sitting at the base of a house window, looks inside Thanks (1) to those who have sent well-wishes for my mom's recovery. Her wrist is healing up nicely. I met a friend from high school for lunch this past week. It was so nice to have a chance to visit with her for a couple of hours. She is one of those friends who it doesn't matter how much time has passed, we can pick right back up into meaningful conversations. Lunch ended all too soon, but I'm so thankful (2) for her, and I'm thankful (3) that she reminded me of the importance of reaching out to others.  Being in my parents' home this week, visiting with a long-time (I'm not saying old!) friend, and with Mother's Day tomorrow, my mind naturally reflects upon the women in my life. I'm thankful (4) for an incredible mom--a gentle woman who taught and loved and guided us (and still does.) I'm thankful (5) for grandmas who were different in their personalities but united in their...
3 comments
Read more

Ten Things of Thankful: I Should Blog More Often

  Tall red poppies bloom against the brick remains of an old homestead A couple of weeks ago, John and I hiked in Alpine, Utah, to see the poppy gardens near the old Lambert homestead. We knew if we waited, we would miss the peak of the flowers. One minute, flowers are blooming, and the next minute, that particular floral show is over until next year.  The Ten Things of Thankful blog hop runs every week, but sometimes I miss the boat and don't get a post composed. I find, though, that those weeks that I do join in, I'm more apt to look for (and find!) the good in life--regardless of whether it was a "good" week or a "bad" week. Just as taking time to hike pays off with a beautiful view, taking the time to share ten things I'm thankful for pays off with a feeling of peace, satisfaction, and gratitude.  The past three weeks have been spent at home. It's been so nice to catch up on things here. The air conditioner cools the house again, we've taken ...
3 comments
Read more