Of late there has been an abundance of
occurrences whereby the opportunity to extend mercy and compassion has been made
available. Currently my family has endured two suicides in a three month period,
over the past few years I have come to know many people who have suffered the
loss of a son in combat, and it seems that all my friends are struggling with
various heartaches, from deaths in their family to very ill family members, lost
jobs, and just all around hard times.
Being merciful and having compassion on others can
consume you if you are not careful, it can lead to depression, to despair, to
hopelessness, as God brings one person after another into your life that is
hurting. In most cases you are powerless to do much about the situation, you may
offer comfort, you try and console, you
try to bring hope, you try to show love, in other words…you extend to the
hurting the gift of mercy and compassion.
The situations my family have endured and many of
my friends has led me to reflect upon this gift I have….is it a gift or is it a
curse? There are some days when I feel so burdened, so weighed down with the
sorrow of others that I can hardly focus on the mundane tasks at hand, and I
feel discouraged, and very sad. Today was such a day. When I arose this morning
I felt discouraged. Various trials being experienced by persons that I love very
much were heavy on my heart, and I cried out to God…”how much longer Lord?”..” I
cannot stand feeling like this, I cannot stand this constant burden, I cannot
stand this constant worry for those I love…..how wonderful it must be to be able
to simply live life without so much concern for the welfare of
others.”
And then it
came to me….how the gift of mercy is truly a gift. It is a small and tiny piece
of God’ own heart….He is burdened for the sorrows of His children…..He hurts for
them…and He desires me to pray for them, he desires me to offer words of
comfort…He desires me to stand beside them……and in so doing He is standing with
them, He is offering comfort, He is praying….What a wonderful thing to be used
by God in such a way!
We are His hands here on earth! We are His voice!
We are His arms! We are His legs! We must embrace all that He places on us, and
do His work!
Romans12: 9 Let love be without hypocrisy.
Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love,
in honor giving preference to one another; 11
not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
12 rejoicing in hope, patient in
tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13
distributing to the needs of the saints, given to
hospitality.
14
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with
those who weep. 16 Be of the
same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate
with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have
regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you,
live peaceably with all men. 19
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to
wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance
is Mine, I will repay,”[a] says the Lord. 20 Therefore
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.
no hands but yours,
no feet but yours,
Yours are the eyes through which to look out
Christ's compassion to the world
Yours are the feet with which he is to go about
doing good;
Yours are the hands with which he is to bless men now.”
― Teresa of Ávila