Hello, dear one!
Have you stopped to think if you’re wiped out with everything you have, your home, your job, and maybe your family, whom will you reach out to? And why will you choose them?
Will you be surprised to arrive at one quality that describes your faithful helpers: Compassion?
During this turbulent time, people are stressed out about day-to-day living and their future. They naturally resonate with stories of compassion, and this one can uplift anyone’s spirit.
While waiting in line at the order window of the Dutch Bros Coffee, someone snapped this picture behind this car.
It turned out that the young lady in line ahead just lost her 37-year-old husband the night before.
She was visibly falling apart.
When the DB service people learned about her, they unilaterally stopped everything and prayed with her for several minutes.
After this, they invited her to come back any time for more prayers, and they extended the offer to help her with anything else she needed.
There was a young man in the back who doesn’t understand religion or Jesus, but he gladly joined their prayers to support this young lady.
Compassion requires no condition, education, or religion.
Throughout Jesus’ teachings, he taught love and compassion.
When a law expert asked Jesus how to inherit the law of life, Jesus gave him two commandments (Luke 11:27).
Commandment one: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.
Commandment two: Love your neighbor as yourself.
“But who is my neighbor?” The law expert sought clarity, so Jesus told him a story.
A man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho ran into robbers. They beat him, stripped him, and left him on the road half dead.
A priest came by, saw him, and passed by on the other side of the road.
A Levite came by, saw him, and passed by on the other side of the road.
However, when a Samaritan saw him, he took pity on the man. He poured oil and wine on the wounds and bandaged them. He then put the man on his donkey as he walked to an inn. He gave two silver coins to the innkeeper and promised, “Please look after him. When I return, I will reimburse you for the extra expense you may have.”
Who is the right neighbor? Jesus answered this highly educated law expert who chased a successful living by being right, rather than doing the right things.
The priest preached compassion, but he demonstrated it without action.
The Levite’s compassion was conditioned, based on his terms of worthiness.
Jesus simplified life’s success to the law expert.
When you keep the first commandment; you act upon love to honor who you truly are, made in God’s image with pure love.
Once you keep your first commandment, the second one to love your neighbor as yourself becomes effortless.
For the law expert, he only needed to pursue compassion to succeed.
Today our school system still programs little children to succeed in life with educational hierarchy, material accumulation, career promotions, and endless competitions.
“Being right” seems to take precedence over being kind.
Children are taught to be super sensitive towards gender and race, instead of shining their compassionate lights.
Marcus Aurelius, the statesman for stoicism, had a famous saying: Waste no time arguing how a good man should be (like the law expert). Just be one (like Jesus).
The next time when you’re hanging out with family, friends, neighbors, or associates, ask yourself, “How compassionately successful am I with them?”
For more articles to feel good about yourself, check out my website: www.ColonelRae.com
Why do I call myself a colonel? Either I get serious about living my life, or someone else will decide for me to exist or exit!