Compassion

Pain does not discern between causes.  Whether the pain of tragedy, disease or a broken relationship, it all hurts the same.  The heart does not differentiate from one or the other.  The ache is the same.  The tears are all wet;  the sorrow is felt in the pit of the womb, and the heart still feels like it’s cracking open. 

More often than not we live in our little parts of the world about our business and things are just fine.  But somewhere in other parts of the world, maybe even as close as next door, there is a cloud of sorrow indwelling.  In other places there is rejoicing, celebration, excitement.  When one person is hurting not everyone hurts.  When some are celebrating, a wedding for instance, others are grieving over the loss of a loved one.  There are people falling in love at one place and others breaking apart in another.  A baby is born and a baby is lost.  Tragedy, rejoicing, sorrow, joyfulness…at the same time in different places. 

Some how it feels wrong to be happy when others are sad.  But when I look at the goodness of the Lord and see how He cries when we cry, laughs when we laugh and rejoices when we celebrate it makes me think.  God is aware of all of the injustices, all of the sorrows and of all the joys in the world.  He knows of every man, woman and child and their circumstances.  He can step into each life at the same time.  He simultaneously weeps, laughs, grieves and rejoices with us. Who can fathom such compassion and love? 

Compassion is to cry with others who are crying;  to laugh with those who are rejoicing; to hope with those who are praying; to stand alongside of our neighbors in whatever season they are in, just as Christ does with us.  We can’t be in all places at one time, but we can look around us right where we are at and open our eyes to see if there are those near us who are in need.  Sometimes the need is someone to share their tears, their hurts, their fears, their good news, bad news, answered prayers, prayer requests or whatever it may be.  Sometimes we all just need some compassion, not correction or instruction, just someone who cares.   Can we be willing to take on the sorrows of others when we are celebrating?  Can we still rejoice in the blessings of God while others are suffering? 

Lord, help us to be sensitive to those around us, but to also show gratitude for the seasons of joy in the lives of others as well as our own.  When sorrow comes to our lives bring others alongside of us to share in our heart aches as we share in theirs.  Let us live lives of love and compassion towards all we encounter. Help us to see the opportunities before us that we may reflect Your love light.  Give us eyes to see the seasons in the people around us.  Give us the same compassion in our hearts that is in Yours.