Caring and Compassion

Some people are just natural at caring and compassion and nurturing or so you would think – we have this innate desire to be loved and to love. But sometimes we are so focused on ourselves that we miss those who are in need.

I remember going to the nursing home – not assisted care, full-care nursing homes where people look lifelessly out at nothing, sit in wheelchairs and are basically in God’s waiting room ready to be called. They have lived for many years and appear to sit there forgotten.

One time we walked by a little lady sitting in her chair, with her daughter next to her painting her fingernails bright red and chatting away. By the time we came back the poor, little lady was distraught. She asked us if we had seen her daughter. She said, “She is here one minute and gone the next!” I’m sure her daughter was painting her nails something she must have enjoyed for years and then, wished her mom good-bye until the next time. But in her age this lady forgot.

Do we forget those who are less fortunate or those who are lonely? Is it our neighbor or someone we know at church? It’s easier to have compassion for someone in our own families or our immediate friends and more difficult for those we did not know.

Jesus is a perfect example of love and compassion.

So what is compassion?

Being compassionate often means self-sacrifice something that does not come easily for us. Sacrificing our time or something we want to do for someone else. In this case, our human instinct is to be annoyed or upset that we “have” to do this for someone else, and this often negates our ability to give selflessly. A decision to do something requires effort and action.

There are many rewards of being loving and compassionate especially if this does not come naturally to you or requires efforts. Some of the rewards are tangible and others are intangible. The tangible rewards would be approval or favor from those who observe your unselfish action or becoming friends with someone or developing a deeper friendship as a result of your efforts.

The ones we can’t see are those in heaven, those gifts that are waiting for our heavenly reward. You can never outgive the Lord – he is the one of abundance and blessing in our lives and one that we can count on to fulfill every place in our hearts that are hurting or empty.

A relationship with the Lord takes time, effort and listening something we discuss often in the podcast. Spending time with God in order to be infilled with his love and to listen to direction, which can be a feeling or a thought or even a Bible verse. We can pray and meditate on these and learn.

We live in a hurting world and this side of heaven is not always a happy place. We eat and exercise in a healthy way which often prolongs use our bodies but not necessarily helps our mind. It is the food of heaven, the acting on the gifts that God has given us like love and compassion that can bring joy to others in as a result of satisfaction in our lives.

Dear Jesus, I praise you and I thank you fo fall the gifts and blessings you have given me in my life. I ask that you increase my love for others and my compassion. Bring me incidents where I can serve you and those around me. Help me to see the good in others and to seek to bring comfort to those who are in need or hurting. I ask for the needs of those I am praying for, Lord please grant these prayers and petitions … I pray this in Jesus, precious, Name. Amen.