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

[Scott Couchenour]

Jay - Thanks for stopping by and comment, man. You're kindness is truly appreciated!

[Bridget]

I have a very hard time with saying NO when I should. I'm learning that sometimes I have to. Thanks for a great post, full of wise thoughts!

[Scott Couchenour]

Bridget - I'm honored you stopped by. Saying no isn't easy. It requires a deep abiding relatonship with Christ. But it makes the "yes"'s that much richer. God bless you for saying yes to the One Word Blog Carnival!!

[Scott Couchenour]

Thank you Bridget. If it weren't for your obedience with the Carnival, I would not have been nearly as blessed as I was yesterday reading all the great stuff on Compassion. God bless you!