I feel strongly I should journal this and do it today. I hope it is for a good reason. :)
What is compassion?
This question has weighed heavily on my mind as of late. It's almost been burdensome to me. A few months back Dustin and I were having a conversation about somebody in need and as always I spoke my opinion which was something to the idea of, "He is old enough to know better. He asked for this consequence. He will never learn." Dustin immediately responded with, "You have no compassion." I was so taken back and argued with him that I did have compassion.
I believe in giving to the needy & serving those less fortunate... When I can see they have worked hard and just have less fortunate circumstances. I donate a fast offering to my church every month for those in need. I love to make things for a service auction when proceeds go to a family or person with needing help or give free haircuts to the missionaries. I give all my heart and energy to my family each and every day!! I felt like I was pretty compassionate and just using good judgement on who I helped and didn't.
Then he said something more true than the first statement,
"You have compassion, when it's easy to have compassion."
So just a few weeks ago Ella came home from school and had eaten her entire lunch which was a first for her. I was surprised and as I talked to her about it she explained that another first grader helped her eat it. The days following her lunch was always eaten and then she told me "Sue" won't keep her fingers out of my food. I was upset and said, "You tell her to keep her fingers out of your food or I will have to call her mom."
The next week I went to her classroom as I normally do to help her teacher and decided to scope out the lunch situation. As I'm sitting there I see this sweet, innocent 1st grader - the one that was stealing my child's food - pull out a fruit snack & eat it. Then a yogurt, and ate it. Finally another fruit snack, ate it and zipped up her bag. I watched her as she watched all the other kids eating their sandwich, throw away the cheese they don't like and the milk they can't open. My heart felt so heavy. I realized... he was right.
When it's easy to have compassion, I'm a pro. When it's not so obvious and easy, I struggle. You better bet the next few days we sent an extra baggie of apples or a whole sandwich cut in half so she could share the other half. Oh, I felt so bad.
I have a lot to learn. I have a lot of things to work on. I am thankful for the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ to help me with these sort of imperfections. He is my greatest example and teaches so much about compassion. When I think of all the many people he healed and the love he rendered to all men, I know he didn't question whether they were deserving he just blessed them.
1 Peter 3:8-12
8 Finally, be ye all of aone mind, having bcompassion one of another, love as cbrethren, be dpitiful, be ecourteous: 9 Not arendering bevil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a cblessing. 10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him arefrain his btongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no cguile: 11 Let him aeschew evil, and do good; let him seek bpeace, and censue it. 12 For the aeyes of the Lord are over the brighteous, and his ears are open unto their cprayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do devil.
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