Compassion 2

Dictionary.com definition:
1. a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

By this definition, there are several components: feeling (sympathy, sorrow), strong desire to do something to help (motivation), and suffering.

This seems different than love in some ways. All love is not compassion (there may not be suffering involved), but all compassion is love. Serving in Sunday School or being nice to your neighbor are good things, just not compassion. Compassion seems to be a subset of love - a certain kind of love for certain situations that involve suffering or misfortune.

The opposite of compassion is cruelty and meanness.

We know we are to love on another. Are we to be compassionate to one another also? Seems like a no-brainer for the Christian. Is it? If we are, to whom? Why? How?

Let's answer the first question first. Some spiritual questions are hard to answer with some certainty. This one is not. We have direct teaching and examples from Jesus. For just one straightforward example among many, Jesus said "be compassionate" in the Sermon on the Plains in Luke. You don't need to know greek and you don't need to consult your commentaries to understand this one. He said to be like him - compassionate. He said this in the context of discussing exceptional love. Note that he did not say to do compassionate things. He said to "be" compassionate. As in "being" or "becoming". Be the kind of person who is compassionate.

What would be the experience of a compassionate person? They would notice someone who is suffering. They would identify with the suffering of the person and have the resultant emotions (sympathy, sorrow). They would be highly motivated to do something about that person's suffering. So motivated that they likely would actually do it or at least something. What they would do would be directed toward relieving the suffering.

Seems fairly straightforward, doesn't it? Not so fast. We have very well-developed and sophisticated strategies for circumventing this whole process. I can think of several without much thought. How about: "The poor will always be with us." or "The needs are so great. We can't meet them all." or "What is the best way of helping them? You don't want to enable them by throwing money at them." or "That's so great what you are doing. God has really called you (as in not me) (or given you a gift) of compassion." or "All service is equal - some serve in Sunday School and some help the poor." Imagine what we could come up with if we really thought about it. These attitudes and beliefs can and do undermine us "becoming" compassionate people.