Compassion is a tender heart towards the needs and sufferings of others and the desire to help. Compassion makes a difference to what others see and think. It can release a person from their afflictions if only for a moment, or destroy the hopes and dreams without you ever knowing.
When extending compassion we must deny ourselves. We must pause our own opinions, hurts, and struggles and rise to the needs of others. When we focus on the suffering of others and engage with compassion it releases us from our own trials if even for a moment and our hearts can take a deep breath and then jump back into our own worlds just a little lighter. We receive a burst of accomplishment that gives us a little fuel to push through and carry on. However, when our hearts are not tender and not able to experience the giving of compassion, then we often are not able to receive it either. Sadly I have experienced many times when a person just chooses to not give compassion and has ultimately become unable to even receive it.
Let’s take this moment today, to examine our hearts and make sure that we are both able to give and receive compassion. Let's make sure that there are no hard calluses on our hearts that affect the people we love, and the people who need us to show them compassion today.
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith,…Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion making a difference. - Jude 20-22
Dear Lord, examine our hearts today and if we have become unable to give or receive compassion, we ask that you show us how to fix this. Help us to see with your eyes the places where we need to show more compassion as you have showered us with yours. Keep are hearts tender towards you and those that you have placed in our paths.
