A man digs through trash on the side of the road, searching
for food in that which has been discarded by another. A toddler returns home
after working with his family, cutting wood with a machete. A four-year-old
girl struggles to color because her dominant hand has an IV in it, pumping her
cancer-ridden body full of chemicals.
Witnessing events like these, here and at home, causes an
emotional response in the bystander: sadness, guilt, pity. I mean, even
watching those commercials about the dying kittens and puppies can cause some
to go into hysterics! But what do we do with that? Are sadness, guilt, and pity
fleeting enough that if we just wait, we can move on without having
to do anything? That seems wasteful—we are called to be good stewards of what
we are given, and, at times, what we are given is an emotion that will propel
us into action.
Obviously, I have experienced pity while here.
Almost daily, I witness something that reminds me that God’s Kingdom on earth
is not as it is in Heaven, yet. I struggle, though, with what to do with this feeling. I am not convinced that
I should feel guilty because I was born into a different set of circumstances
than others; I am convinced that because of the privilege that I have experienced
and continue to experience, I am compelled to be filled with compassion and
empathy for all and that my responsibility to others should be greater.
Thinking about an appropriate response to sadness, guilt,
and pity, I have created a working list of actions that can be taken:
Be grateful. A person who is grateful realizes that all
blessings come from God, and that God is calling you to be a blessing. Ingratitude leads to destructive behaviors.
Gratitude leads to a love of life and life’s Creator.
Be empathetic. Realize that your experiences and the
experiences of another are completely different; life is understood and
interpreted differently for each person. Do what you can to remove yourself
from your understandings and place yourself in those of another. Let empathy
prevent quick and, oftentimes, harsh judgment. Let empathy guide you to helping
without question. Let empathy allow you to love unconditionally.
Take action. Not everyone will move to another country—not
everyone should move to another country! But everyone can perform kind actions;
everyone can be the hands and feet of God. That could mean working with a
non-profit or ministry. That could mean opening up your home and being
hospitable. That could mean fostering a child or mentoring a child who lacks a
positive adult influence. That could mean sitting down and talking with a
person in such a way that the person leaves knowing that he or she is
important and loved. Be someone who walks into the room and turns on the light—there
are enough people who are doing their best to bring darkness into our world.
Pray for somebody. “I’ll pray for you” has become this
trivial phrase that can mean, “I want you to know that I feel bad, and saying
this will make me feel better.” Speaking to the Great Physician, the Creator of
the Universe, Our Holy Father on behalf of another is not inconsequential. You
are going before God to talk to Him about another person. Let that
sit with you for a second. There is nothing small about that.
As I said, this is a working list. Each person will respond
differently. The important thing is that you respond.
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