Compaction Or Compassion?

"Sure, I can help you with that." I hung up the phone. Then thought, "How am I going to help them? I've already got too much on my plate."

Ever do that before? I bet you have. It's hard to say "no". We don't want to disappoint. We don't want to miss anything. Truth is, we don't see the cost associated with a "yes". Time is finite. A day will always be 24 hours. The energy we can expend in a given block of waking hours is fixed. So, when we say "yes" to one commitment, we are saying "no" to another. All that is background for the point of this post:

Compaction Lessens Compassion. Busy-ness is the bane of compassion. I push compassion to the side when I have too much to do. In fact, people are actually a nuisance when I'm too busy. The very folks I must have compassion on are getting in my way. Can you believe that? But that's not their fault. It's mine. Jesus was full of compassion. As I follow Jesus what kind of example do I display when I'm too busy for compassion?

Frank Viola and Leonard Sweet recently published a book called, Jesus Manifesto. The following is an excerpt:

[God is saying to us]: "When people saw [Jesus] in action, they were seeing Me in action. Now He dwells in you, and when people see you, they are seeing Him. And the more space you make for Him in your life, the more clearly the world will see Him. So give Him room. Let Him gain all of you so He can be seen again, to My glory and pleasure."

So the next time I am faced with a decision to take on something new, I'm going to STOP! Ask myself, "God, is this opportunity from You, or will it compact me so tightly that I have no margin for compassion?"  

How about you? How tightly are you living these days?

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This post is part of a Blog Carnival on the one word - Compassion. It is being hosted by Bridget Chumbley.

Comments

[Glynn]

Time is finite -- one of the most precious things we can give. And we must choose wisely. Good post, sir.

[Scott Couchenour]

Glynn, thanks for stopping by. I'm honored by your comment.

[katdish]

Wow, so true. I've learned to say no to many things and concentrate on where I feel God (and not my guilty conscious) is leading me. Great post.

[Scott Couchenour]

Thanks Kathy. Yes, "no" is something that is learned. It's an art form sometimes. It requires a "Christ in me" style of living.

[Duane Scott]

You brought in an aspect of compassion that I don't often think about. Thanks for that!

[Sandra King]

Oh, so true. We can get so busy doing, we don't feel, and thus we don't meet a real need. Been there. Done that. I like the way you put it--compaction or compassion.

[Scott Couchenour]

Thanks, Duane and Sandra, for stopping and reading. I pray your lives contain the margin you need to be compassionate. I know they do, or you wouldn't have taken the time to comment. God bless!

[Michael]

Scott, that is a real post. What I mean is that is something that I know we all should be asking ourselves. Is it an opportunity to show God's love or is it compacting us. Seriously, this is good stuff.

[Jay Cookingham]

"God, is this opportunity from You, or will it compact me so tightly that I have no margin for compassion?"

That my friend is a good question to ask...

Thanks for sharing!

Jay

[Scott Couchenour]

Thanks, Michael. Your compassionate comment shows me you have margin for compassion in your life.