Compassion for the Challenges of Others

Compassion for what others have to go through in life can sometimes be overlooked when ministering to the needs of those around us. It’s great to have a genuine desire to see better conditions and circumstances for others but until we actually feel the pain of others, our sense of life from the other person’s perspective is very limited.

Living Outside of Our Experience Zone

Morgan Spurlock is the actor best known for the documentary Super-Size Me. He is also the executive producer of the reality television series 30 Days. In each episode of 30 Days, Spurlock or some other person or group of people spend 30 days immersing themselves in a particular lifestyle which they are unfamiliar with (working for minimum wage, spending time in prison, being a Christian living as a Muslim etc.) and discussing the related issues.

[pullquote]Compassion is difficult to have unless we fully understand the plight of others. Deep-rooted compassion grows out of the ability to relate to one another. [/pullquote]

What’s interesting to me about these episodes is that when people become a part of another culture or environment, they come away from the experience with a whole new perspective on the beliefs, lifestyle, and struggles of the group that was featured. The program 30 Days shows us that even though we may have contact with various groups of people throughout our lives, rarely are we put into a position where we contend with the nuances of life as a part of that group.

Compassion for the Challenges of Others

Compassion is difficult to have unless we fully understand the plight of others. In the Minimum Wage episode, a couple had to rent an apartment, buy groceries, and find transportation while working jobs that only paid minimum wage. The actors seemed shocked to find out that there are people who must rely on public transportation. The reliance on public transportation demands that they spend 4 hours a day traveling to and from work. They had no idea that sometimes decisions between seeing a doctor for an injury or providing food for your family must be made. Unless someone who has financial means has been in the shoes of someone who has had to survive on minimum wage, it’s easy to misunderstand life from their perspective. It’s easy for others to try to solve the complicated problems of others with quick, simple solutions. Solutions that they have never had to employ themselves.

The next time you are tempted to give a “quick fix” solution to someone else’s problem, I encourage you to take the time and sit down with the person and attempt to feel what they feel. Share their thoughts, feelings, and concerns on a deeper level. Ask yourself if you would be willing to walk in their shoes for 30 days. 

Deep-rooted compassion grows out of the ability to relate to one another. As Christians, let’s make an effort to relate to one another and feel one another’s pain on a level that breeds compassion. When your deep-rooted compassion for others fuels your fire to help effect change, we will truly make a difference in the lives of those around us who are hurting and in need.

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