1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
"We are good at criticizing others and even better at giving advice. We assume that we know what is best for others... [but] we are not so good at compassionate participation. We often fail to draw close. We are afraid of involvement...From Dare to Journey with Henri Nouwen by Charles Ringma
Yet compassion asks us precisely to take such a risk. In the words of Nouwen, 'compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into places of pain'.
Going there does not mean barging in with easy answers and quick solutions. It means learning to listen even for what, initially, cannot be expressed. It means being honest about our own needs and struggles so that we can listen more carefully. It means journeying with people in their attempts at resolution and healing. It means being there, but not controlling or crowing others. It means reaching out without taking over. It means holding without withholding, giving without looking to receive, and entering a partnership that releases others"
This morning is the first time I've picked up my devotional in a while. I felt that compulsion to read it. It was God's way of saying to me that I don't need to be afraid, it's possible to be sensitive to Kristy's needs without holding back.
There are so many people around her at the moment that I don't understand yet how I can 'be there for her' without crowding her out. Perhaps it's just a matter of being available, rather than shut down. Being ready for the right timing.
2 people's thoughts:
very wise
Maybe this is how God is teaching us compassion, and teaching us to really draw together, without facades.
thanks Jo
You said something many of us are feeling Jo, thank you.
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