An Incredible Moment at Nain
Ahh...compassion.
My very favorite of all topics. I could talk about compassion all day and still have more to say. If I had the ability to either feel deep personal love in my own life or to feel extreme compassion for the lives of others, I'd choose the second. Actually, I probably have.
For it is in the feeling of compassion for others that one finds their ability to understand deep, personal love. It is in knowing the pain in others' lives that we can know what real love truly is. Compassion and love go together like salt and pepper; like night and day; like Bert and Ernie.
In today's prayer, Gire writes:
"Give me the heart you had for that bereaved mother, for those whose shoulders are stooped low under the weight of a loss too great for them to bare."
In finding my way back to Jesus, I found my compassion again. (Actually, truth be told, it was when I found my compassion that I again found Jesus.) I think for most people that come to Jesus as an adult, this is probably the case. Without an open heart we can't even articulate why Jesus was so special or why His life meant so much. If you can't understand and be overcome with emotion at what He did for all of us, you really can't "know" Jesus and you can't feel overcome with emotion unless you have a compassionate heart. Finding and knowing the love of Jesus has everything to do with finding and knowing true and deep compassion for other people.
To me, when the bible speaks about us "being made in His image" this is exactly what it is talking about. We are all born to be compassionate human beings - just look at the way a two year old will walk up and spontaneously hug you when they see you crying. It is part of who we are at a very early age. And Jesus, without His deep wellspring of compassion for every other person he encountered, would simply have been another man, another prophet, another life.
I remember watching the movie "The Passion of the Christ" when I first began this journey a year ago - afraid to watch it because I had heard it was so violent - but knowing I had to see it so I could fully understand. I sat alone in my living room, weeping to the point of exhaustion once I realized for the first time ever what really happened - how it really "went down" for Jesus - and I literally thought my heart would break in two.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing - to be able to look at what he did and think, "I would never have done that to Him!" but truth be told, back then, we probably would have. I don't think compassion for other's suffering came INTO this world fully realized until Christ died for us all. It was then, when the Apostle's told the story of Jesus' sacrifice that people began to truly understand and love him. It was then that they felt a pull at their heartstrings and began really opening their hearts to him.
Nain. Maybe not where compassion began (in reality) but certainly a place where it glared so brightly it couldn't be missed. No evidence of faith. No evidence of belief. Just pain and sorrow of a mother for her son. The same pain and sorrow that Jesus' own mother would one day understand all too well.
My very favorite of all topics. I could talk about compassion all day and still have more to say. If I had the ability to either feel deep personal love in my own life or to feel extreme compassion for the lives of others, I'd choose the second. Actually, I probably have.
For it is in the feeling of compassion for others that one finds their ability to understand deep, personal love. It is in knowing the pain in others' lives that we can know what real love truly is. Compassion and love go together like salt and pepper; like night and day; like Bert and Ernie.
In today's prayer, Gire writes:
"Give me the heart you had for that bereaved mother, for those whose shoulders are stooped low under the weight of a loss too great for them to bare."
In finding my way back to Jesus, I found my compassion again. (Actually, truth be told, it was when I found my compassion that I again found Jesus.) I think for most people that come to Jesus as an adult, this is probably the case. Without an open heart we can't even articulate why Jesus was so special or why His life meant so much. If you can't understand and be overcome with emotion at what He did for all of us, you really can't "know" Jesus and you can't feel overcome with emotion unless you have a compassionate heart. Finding and knowing the love of Jesus has everything to do with finding and knowing true and deep compassion for other people.
To me, when the bible speaks about us "being made in His image" this is exactly what it is talking about. We are all born to be compassionate human beings - just look at the way a two year old will walk up and spontaneously hug you when they see you crying. It is part of who we are at a very early age. And Jesus, without His deep wellspring of compassion for every other person he encountered, would simply have been another man, another prophet, another life.
I remember watching the movie "The Passion of the Christ" when I first began this journey a year ago - afraid to watch it because I had heard it was so violent - but knowing I had to see it so I could fully understand. I sat alone in my living room, weeping to the point of exhaustion once I realized for the first time ever what really happened - how it really "went down" for Jesus - and I literally thought my heart would break in two.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing - to be able to look at what he did and think, "I would never have done that to Him!" but truth be told, back then, we probably would have. I don't think compassion for other's suffering came INTO this world fully realized until Christ died for us all. It was then, when the Apostle's told the story of Jesus' sacrifice that people began to truly understand and love him. It was then that they felt a pull at their heartstrings and began really opening their hearts to him.
Nain. Maybe not where compassion began (in reality) but certainly a place where it glared so brightly it couldn't be missed. No evidence of faith. No evidence of belief. Just pain and sorrow of a mother for her son. The same pain and sorrow that Jesus' own mother would one day understand all too well.
posted by HeyJules at
12:45 AM
7 Comments:
You say in your first paragraph, you'd choose compassion for others over a deep personal love in your own life... I believe this is one of the ironic mysteries of God's grace... when you do that you get both in amazing abundance. (And thank you for your extreme compassion for meyesterday.
By
Claire Joy, at 7:23 AM
Just doing my job, ma'am...
One thing you should know about Claire and Gayla - and this is one of the main reasons I love them both so much - is that they LOVE and revere the bible as God's inerrant word. They have both studied scripture long and hard, have done their homeword and know their stuff. Their beliefs are firmly backed up by knowledge and I totally respect that. They also LOVE to debate scriptural interpretation and being that this is the INTERNET and not a face-to-face discussion, can sometimes come off as chasing an issue rather aggressively when really they are just trying to foster the other person to back up their beliefs they way they back up theirs. (Which, by the way, I think you did - I just think you took their zealousness as agressiveness and I'm sure neither one meant for that to be their interpretation.)
In short - from now on, feel free to state your opinion, to listen to the opinions of the others and then to walk away. That is your choice and perrogative. If, however, you want to battle the bible with them, they're the best at getting someone to grow in their faith by challenging you to support your words with scripture. They've helped me grow in this way tremendously by teaching me it's not about what I feel - but about what I know.
That said...the dirty glasses analogy is my pastor's personal favorite and it is growing on me as well. We'll never know all the answers till we get to heaven and I'm trying to learn to live with that.
By
HeyJules, at 8:26 AM
I do apologize CJ for any offense I made. That certainly wasn't what I meant to do. Thank you for forgiving me. :)
I know more than one person where the flood gates opened when they finally realize what Jesus did for them on the Cross. Once we understand what He is sparing us from by taking it upon Himself...well, there just aren't words to express it, is there?
By
Pilot Mom, at 9:19 AM
No Claire, there really aren't. I've tried to explain it to people - the reaction I had to that movie - and there really are no words.
To this day, whenever I partake of holy communion, I see scenes of that movie in my mind and I feel the open wounds of it all all over again...but now it is followed by an intense feeling of gratitude and joy.
By
HeyJules, at 9:51 AM
ah Jules, you got inspiration out of my writing on the last lesson, and you have poured yours all over me this time... Compassion and unconditional love walk hand in hand, and Im learning to walk holding those hands - God's hands, like a little child - oftentimes, I want to let go and run up ahead, and sometimes He lets me and sometimes He holds on tightly even when I pull against Him b/c He knows the dangers of what lie ahead.... Im so glad that you girls are with me on this journey as well, it makes it easier to actually keep walking instead of sitting down right where I am, and throwing a tantrum... :)
By
dangermama, at 10:11 AM
I'm glad too. It's been wonderful to get to know each of you on a deeper level. And, I love the age range. We have that in our ladies Bible study...26 yrs to 89 yrs. It brings diversity and a richness when the younger and the older blend and mix together. You are each a blessing to me. (And you too, Gayla! I know you are reading here!)
By
Pilot Mom, at 10:48 AM
Addie, I'm glad it "spoke" to you. I rather like the analogy of you sitting down and throwing a tantrum. In my humble opinion we just don't get to do that often enough as adults!!!
By
HeyJules, at 6:10 PM
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