From R. N. Frost's blog

My brother-in-law told me about R.N.Frost's blog and said that his entry 'Looking for Compassion' particularly was interesting. The link can be found at http://spreadinggoodness.org/ . I found it most interesting and a challenge. I quote from the blog.

The point is that whatever we have as our soul's gaze is what we become. If we're given over to looking at worthless things, we grow increasingly worthless. If we find violence to be entertaining, we become affiliated with violence.

Think, then, of what Jesus did in his ministry. His teaching wasn’t done in classrooms but in the places where there were poor people, blind people, lame people, leprous people, immoral people, needy people. And he had compassion on them. Again and again in the gospels we read that “he felt compassion . . .”

As we use the imagery of vision let me return to something I’ve written before, that faith is a function of our soul’s gaze. When we look to Jesus we only do so because he’s already tapped on our hearts to catch our attention. Then in looking to him we find him gazing into our hearts with compassion: seeing our sin, our pride, our fears, our doubts while telling us, “come to me all you who are weary and burdened”. And as we come to him in faith he places his arm around our shoulders and says, “Do you see all those who are needy? Come with me while I care for them.”

Our hands then become his hands. Our hearts reveal his heart. Our joy is in giving rather than in receiving.

Today, then, do we know someone captured by video games? Offer some compassion by inviting them to places where real relationships exist. Do we know some who are living worthless lives? Have compassion on them by inviting them to join you in offering food, coats, and socks to the local street people. Do we know someone who has never met with God? Have some compassion and share your own joy in knowing Christ.

Empathy is cultivated, then, by both receiving it and then by offering it to others. It’s a heart-to-heart activity that starts with a Heart-to-heart meeting with God. Someone has to offer it to others in every place and in every generation. God meets that need by offering it freely through his Son, and by the Spirit; and we, as we feel his compassion towards us, will soon have compassion for others. Try it and see for yourself; then offer it to someone else.

What a challenge? What an encouragement? The question I ask myself is, "How am I going to respond to Jesus? Will I really let Him have his way with me in whatever He asks me to do? Or will I put obstacles in His way that will hinder His work in my life? What will I have as my main object of my gaze? What will fill my mind and thoughts each day?"