John 13:34 – As I was saying…

sympathy

It’s wired into all of us, the capability to demonstrate sympathy for those who have suffered misfortune and loss. It’s in our DNA. Some have just suppressed the emotional stimulus of sympathy for others for so long, their “sympathy” seems re-routed to include only themselves. Case in point, what would possess dozens of looters in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and other cities to break into stores in these evacuated towns and just take whatever they want? A complete abandonment of moral thought and sympathy for their fellow man. There is no other explanation. The darkness invading the minds of men have increased lawlessness, and their hearts have grown cold… just as Jesus said they would. (Matthew 24:12)

But it’s hard isn’t it? To be so bombarded with tragedy in the news week after week and not become a little de-sensitized to the present crisis. It’s clear that those who’ve lost their homes and possessions in the fires in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana are just as devastated as those affected by Harvey and Irma. But we’ve lost sight of them, because we focus on what is right in front of us at the time. Right now it’s Irma and the southern United States. Most of us haven’t given more than a second thought to the folks to our south affected by an earthquake in Mexico.

Sometimes it’s not even about focus, sometimes it’s about remembering. Today is a good example. Today is September 11, 2017. 16 years ago our lives we’re changed forever. We watched in horror as thousands of lives were lost when the twin towers came crashing into the earth in rubble. Terrorism became real for everyone around the world in an instant, and it hasn’t let up since. Here’s a question for you though. I wonder how many people in the world today would even have thoughts of this tragedy, or those who were lost, except that a commemorative event was planned, specifically so that we don’t forget?

Too often it is all too true: out of sight, out of mind… and out of our memory.

I’m convinced some folks have the spiritual gift of sympathy. It seems they have an unlimited supply, and regardless of how many tragedies occur, they are instantly capable of recognizing needs and organizing aid. I recognize this as a special gift from God, because while I’m not unfeeling or uncaring, I find myself stretched these days to have enough sympathy to go around. I would like to think I’m a kind man, who cares, who demonstrates compassion, and will commiserate with those in need.

Yet, when in the ensuing chaos of one tragedy, after another, after another, in a seemingly endless list of tragedies, both my heart and my mind become numb. I end up asking myself, “How can our world survive much more?” Then I think about those in the crisis itself, while I watch the incessant video streams of death, damage, looting; it’s hard to balance all that with the fewer stories of strong willed people who drive from another state to demonstrate their sympathy in tangible ways.

Perhaps the answer is simple: pick a battle, don’t try to win the war on your own.

By becoming pro-active and choosing a place where you personally want to go, help and make a difference in the recovery process, you set aside those paralyzing thoughts and in action begin to make a real difference to those who do need our sympathy. Sympathy won’t cut it though, if that’s all we have. We must act.

And you can’t get bogged down by whatever else might be coming our way in the next few weeks or months. Just focus on the choice you made, the people or group you’ve decided to support and keep on. Pray for all the others certainly, this is something we all can do. But engage somewhere. Demonstrate your own kind compassion and sympathetic commiserations by actually doing something to help someone in the middle of these tragic days of misery and loss.

It’s not just about sympathy. It’s also about action.

Jesus also said, [John 13:34]
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

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Daily Post: Sympathy

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via Aware

According to the Urban Dictionary, “Ignorance is Bliss” is a term used to falsely justify apathy on the given subject in the form of a catchy cliche. Example: Seat belts are to be worn while driving a motor vehicle in Texas. If an officer of the law stops you to ask why you aren’t wearing your seat belt, don’t answer “I didn’t know I had to.” Ignorance of the law, is not immunization from the law. And by the way, every passenger in the vehicle must also be buckled up… don’t be caught unaware.

Today, after examining FaceBook, it seems to me that we should expand the meaning to include any attitude used by the liberal media, iconic celebrities, Facebook post writer, or Twitter-bird who screams incorrect information, to falsely justify their hate. They are blissfully ignorant of just how wrong they are; they are unaware and don’t seem to care.

It’s an easy trap to fall into because most of us live in such small circles of influence, and this earth is a great big world. I would venture to say that less than 1% of FaceBook writers even know what Trump’s travel ban document really stated, because they haven’t read it. To have an opinion on a matter so grave as this would necessarily dictate, that a person do some research on the topic, don’t you think? Yet, the constant spin-doctored dribble from the “unaware” social media, is like a festering sore oozing green-grey slime, seeking out someone to infect with this particular version of social cancer. For example, a simple search on my browser this morning yielded the EXACT language used, showing the WHOLE executive order as submitted by the White House.

(https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/27/us/politics/refugee-muslim-executive-order-trump.html?_r=0)

Perhaps we should return to a Three-Wise-Monkey attitude. See wisely, hear wisely, and speak wisely. The Three-Wise-Monkeys came to us from Japan, where they have been widely known since the 17th century. While there are many possible meanings, the exact meaning lost in the passing years, there is something we should gain here. The monkey’s gestures suggest that we “see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil.” A wise “monkey” person is one who is prudent in what they look at, listen to, or what they say. The wise person considers the consequences (awareness of each having consequences), then makes sensible decisions with the awareness that if he or she does not know what to do, they ask another “monkey” person for advice.

Awareness, or consciousness, is what distinguishes us as a human. That a monkey should have to teach us how to act is rather insulting at the least. Humanity has traveled down a long dark path away from what we were created to know deep inside our DNA. Right and wrong go all the way back to the beginning, with Adam and Eve choosing to use the “but we didn’t know” excuse with God. The problem is, both Adam and Eve, and God, knew this wasn’t true. They saw evil, they heard evil, and they spoke (said yes) to evil. They were not wise in these actions. They pretended to be unaware of the consequences of their actions, but in this they lied even to themselves.

Ok. Time to wrap it all up. First, every person’s actions have consequences. Being blissfully ignorant of this fact, will not impede the person’s accountability in the matter. Second, when we continue to only see the “evil” in other people, instead of the “good,” we unwisely tend to lash out in ways that are in themselves evil. Third, this in no way brings glory to the God who created us to know better. It’s time we employ the “one another” rule given to us in God’s Word.

Ephesians 4:32
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

Ephesians 4:2
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,

John 13:34
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

Tag: John 13:34

Kind Compassion and Commiserations