Have you ever been cut off in traffic, nearly ran over by a shopping cart, cut in front of, held the door for a group with no thank you in return, or just watched as someone did something right in front of you that makes you scratch your head and even get a little upset? If you answered no you are lying to yourself! Well if you know me, I am quick to get peeved in these situations, my family thinks it’s funny and I assure you it is not. Maybe it comes from my lack of patience that I am constantly praying for and I believe God is answering me with more situations where I fail miserably (thank you Lord). Whatever the case is, there has been an overpowering thought that has been on my mind for over a month now, compassion.
About three weeks after I continued to try and push thoughts that I wasn’t very compassionate a sermon at Beltway was given, on compassion and the only thought that came to my mind that morning was, God is calling me on the carpet right here and now. Matthew 7:3-4, go look it up real quick it will only take a second. Think about what it says … no reflect on when you get upset with people, people you don’t even know, for the small, insignificant things that bother you…. Pretty weak on us right?
Confession: I have realized why I get so upset when someone is driving bad, or is inconsiderate of those around them, or oblivious to what is going on that creates an inconvenience to me (for 5 seconds). I get so put off so quickly because somewhere inside of me, I felt like I NEVER was guilty of the same things, I felt that I was above these things and was disgusted at the things going on around me. How self righteous am i?!
Now the word compassion by definition means to have pity on or suffer with others as they are greeted by misfortunes. I thought before this internal quest that I was a pretty compassionate person; I do ministry, I tell people I will pray for them, I donate to the needy. SO WHAT! Those are simply actions without center if I am doing them without true compassion. What is true compassion? Glad you asked. Jesus Christ. The number one synonym I could find for compassion, mercy. Getting something you don’t deserve. We were given, I was given, the opportunity to have abundant life and to have it to the full, to live eternally with the Creator of the universe who loved me so much knowing that I would be such a mess and filthy and undeserving.
So if my life is supposed to imitate Christ, I should have the same compassion for everyone that He has on me right? Correct. Well what does that look like? Again, glad you asked, you’re asking good questions. It means that when someone is driving… poorly… I don’t get upset and speed around them or give a little “hey genius drive better” honk. Or when someone almost t-bones me with their shopping cart and says nothing but expects me to move, smile and I be the one to let them pass. It’s these little things that I see all the time in my every day walking that I need to work on, not because I can but because I should. I should hold myself to a higher standard as a believer and imitator of Christ to do the uncommon thing.
After all let’s be honest, plenty of people can get upset while behind the wheel, anyone can mumble unnecessary things under their breath, but who can take a deep breath, remember the compassion Christ has for me on a daily basis with how much I slip up, and translate that into my own mercy and understanding. Because who knows, maybe the person I could get frustrated with, is having a bad day, and I can show them Jesus through the way I handle a situation. You never know! Strength and Courage peeps
Much Love
