Compassion

There was a time where I was the least compassionate person in the family. Kristin was always trusting people and felt bad for everyone. Leslie and Kenna will tear up any time they think someone is sad. Me, I just didn't have much mercy. I'd be upset over injustice enough to think about it a bit, but never do anything. And if someone had gotten into trouble for doing something wrong, well they deserved it.
A couple years ago, some I knew got caught in a pretty bad mistake. And everyone knew about it. And all of a sudden, I found myself feeling compassion. Sure, they were wrong, but their sin was no worse than any of mine- at least in God's eyes. I began to wonder how I would feel if my sins became so completely public- other than guilt and shame, would I feel judged, feel shunned, feel alone?
So I learned about compassion and mercy. I learned to feel for those who were wronged, hurt, or had gotten themselves into some mess by being stupid. We all have been there, whether or not we admit it. Compassion is taking that experience and using our own memories to motivate ourselves to help others. And compassion can be feeding the hungry, clothing the poor- it can even be confronting the fallen. We often forget compassion for the sinful and instead judge. But when a person- believer or not- is caught in a big mistake, that may be the time they need our compassion the most- if only we will offer it.