Compassion

"My eyes fail with tears, my heart is troubled; my bile is poured out on the ground because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, because the children and the infants faint in the streets of the city." Lamentations 2:11

Jeremiah, the author of Lamentations, had been sent by God to speak to the Lord's people. God used Jeremiah to forewarn them of their captivity and temporary destruction. But, instead of saying, "I told you so," Jeremiah is crying for his people.

"Arise, cry out in the night, at the begining of the watches; pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street." Lamentations 2:19

Jeremiah was broken-hearted and he pitited the people. But, he didn't lose sight of God. He maintained his cause and his message from God. He was begging his people, if for no other reason, for the sake of the little children to return to the Lord. The illustration of the people coming before the Lord and pouring out their hearts like water reminds me of one of those church services where a number of people are kneeling before the alter with their faces on the tear-stained floor. Some of the people are crying out for deliverance from whatever - themselves, some situation or circumstance - and some people are crying out because they just simply love God and trust Him.


Every person on the planet is a leader and a follower - both simultaniously. These verses in Jeremiah give a glimpse into the heart of a good leader. A good leader has compassion for those he is leading. Jeremiah was sent to give a hard message, and he gave it. He understood the purpose and the power of the message he was sent to give, but he hurt for his people to give that message. He saw the children starving in the streets...he saw the old ladies, or the young ladies in rags and poor. He saw the men without jobs. He saw the plight of his people and he cried.

What a lot of us do in the throws of compassion is tend to just try and comfort those we hurt for. We want to just hug them, shake their hand, or give them something to eat and tell them everything will be okay. But, that's not true, necessarily. A cup of soup, or a warm embrace, although might cause some of the pain to ebb for the moment, isn't the solution for the long term problem. It fills the belly for a moment, but fails to fill the soul.

But, you know...we can't fix people that don't want to be fixed. The begining of the solution to a problem is to lead people to a place where they want to fix themselves. Once they are at that point, they are leadable, teachable. And maybe we bring people to that place of wanting to change by showing them that compassion and grace. By making the attempt to fulfill their basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, healthy human interaction...love.

I started writing this block a long time ago (a year, maybe?) and since then, actually in just the past few nights, I've realized that for some people, all they have is hope. They have lost all of their material belongings and any ounce of pride or self-esteem along with it, and the only thing that keeps them going was the hope that someone planted in their soul by smiling at them, laughing or crying with them, or feeding them.

It takes courage to do what Jeremiah did. It hurts to see the people you love and care about hurt. It hurts to see those people make bad decisions because of the consequences they are bound to face. And sometimes it really isn't their fault, but some series of unfortunate events. But, as a people, who are we? What are we here for if not to lift our fellow man up? Why did we strive so hard to make America what it is? Sure there were a lot of political reasons, etc, but there was an idea, and a dream that we could live in a better place. Who are we? Why are we breathing day in and day out? Just to take up space? I feel like most of my life, that's all I've ever done, is just take up space. We can do better than that. And maybe...maybe it starts with compassion. And compassion starts with understanding. Understanding starts at humility. Let's be the people we were created to be. No one expects perfection - surely not God. But, God does want to at least see the attempt. I think He said in Proverbs, "I desire obedience more than sacrifice."

Obedience is not all about do's and don't's...it's about love. Compassion. Humanitarianism to put a secular word to it. Be the person God created you to be...be the seed of hope for someone. Laugh with someone who needs to smile, cry with someone who is in pain, encourage someone who needs a gentle push in the right direction.