Compassion

In a world of technology and social media, we as human beings are losing our humanity.  In recent weeks I’ve read many stories from around the world where this is becoming more and more true.  We are cruel, intentionally.  I ache when I read these stories, cringe at the vileness of the words and actions.

Social media and technology has given us a facade, that somehow our actions won’t have repercussions.  We can video tape atrocities because it will go viral before your slow working conscious can kick in.  We find it humerus to hurt others, shun them, treat the inhumanely simply because we can and from behind the lens nobody will know its us.

We read stories and point fingers in judgement at those who are failing under the weight of their burden, who are making poor choices and who are suffering from addiction.  We fail to realize behind that persons seemingly heinous actions, is a person, who is in need of compassion and love.  So do we let them go without consequences? No but it is not right for us treat this person in the same manner they may have treated someone else, you become no better when you partake in their actions. There is no room for growth if a person is not believed in.

 

I tell my children often “you are not your behaviour, you are not your emotions.  You are a human being, and all human beings deserve respect and should have the opportunity to be loved.”  How can I teach this to them if I do not hold true to those same values and life my life accordingly? 

I have had many wrongdoings done against me.  Things that never should have happened but we live in a sinful world with fallen people.  Yet, God didn’t just come for the loveable, God came for us all.  If God who is perfect can love someone who commits the vilest of acts, ultimately against something created by God, then how can I say that I cannot try to do the same.  We fail and struggle daily with this, and I appreciate the struggle.  The struggle keeps me honest, the struggle keeps me real, the struggle makes me human.

When we are down in the pit of despair the last thing anyone needs, is to be spat upon and reminded of their wrongdoings. We need compassion, empathy and the reminder that we ourselves are human.  The act of gossip or teasing can sometimes be as lethal as pulling a trigger.  There are many ways in which we can injure another person.

Lets step out from behind our technology and our social media, lets get back to face to face conversations.  Lets remind ourselves that we are human beings, not some robotic machine.  We are no better than the person beside us, no matter the actions of that person.