Building a Heart of Compassion

I just had the privilege of representing our church to a needy family in our area, and my family and I were able to bring a few gifts over for their kids and spread a bit of Christmas cheer. Their dad shared with me their hardships of late, from their old house burning down to his now being out of work. My heart really went out to them as he shared these things, and I found myself wishing I could do more for them in their time of need. On the way home, I thought of so many that I've encountered lately who are in such deep pain, suffering, and hurt, and I find these stories touching my heart so much more so than they used to. It seems that my cold heart is finally being tenderized and warmed to the plight of the needy after all these years.

Yet in my "traditional church" days, it seemed I would hear message after message about loving the poor, and nothing in my life would ever change. With each stirring sermon I'd hear about the importance of compassion for the needy, I'd find myself nodding in agreement to these idea, yet at the same time feeling frustrated and perplexed by the very concept. I realized the coldness and lack of compassion in my heart, but felt unable to change this state of my heart. "How can I live a life of compassion without a heart of compassion?", I wondered. "Oh, God, change my heart!" I would pray. And yet to my deep frustration, it seemed as if my heart did not and could not ever change.

But then we started City On A Hill Community. We believed that being around the poor, building relationships with them and hearing their stories would be far more honoring to God than continuing to sit around and talk about compassion. We all agreed that we had heard enough messages and had had enough Bible studies on serving to last a lifetime; it was time to put those lessons into action. Within a few short weeks, God opened a door for us to serve at the Wayside Center, a homeless shelter in Elgin, relationships began to build, and the rest, as they say, is history.

People can tell me all they want about how much they're growing from their pastor's deep Sunday morning sermons. That's great, and I'm happy for them. But in my life, the day I started growing in compassion was the day that a group of my friends decided that we would actually get to know, serve, and love the poor instead of having another Bible study on it. Until I heard the stories of the needy, prayed, laughed, and ate with them, I never knew what it meant to build a heart of compassion. But thanks to them, I know now. And for the first time in my life, I see myself really growing in love. And judging on the conversations I've had, many of us at COAH can say the same.

And if we are growing in love in this way, is that not the goal of all spirituality? If we find our hearts increasingly aching with the struggles of the needy, are we not reaching Christ's ultimate goal for our lives? To grow in compassion and love is not a part of spiritual growth, it is in fact spiritual growth. Thank God that for the first time in my life, I am truly growing spiritually.