Dangerous Compassion

It was already too difficult by 10 am on the first day. Perhaps it would have been more effective to simply just get back on the plane resolved to do nothing but step into this one story and do a really good job of addressing it. That’s what I thought as our car pulled away from the house and I tried to beat back an almost irresistible urge to be a father where there was none. I’m still conflicted about my choice. Do I get involved in all of ‘Africa’ (so that I deal only with statistics) or do I get involved in just that one 23 year old’s life (so that I’m dealing with the face behind those statistics)?

Compassion can be a terrible thing to try to manage because it is made of such strong forces. At the same time it is both heavy and disturbing (and hard to shake); but at the same time, it also includes something like a thrill (at least when you act on it, anyway). It is something you can experience on a scale of one (as in one person) or on the scale of nations and regions and continents (as in Africa). And in addition to all of this, I believe we will either be shaped by it (and that can be costly – you may never get your safe and comfortable life back) or become immune to it (and that can be even more costly – you become an island of one closed in on yourself). All of this amounts to something which can be a ‘terrible thing’ to try to manage, but manage it we must.

On this latest trip to Africa, I found myself looking for some place in between the full blown ‘mess’ of ‘we’ve got to do something about this crisis!’ and the kind of compassion that is reduced to a monthly automatic withdraw (so we can say ‘hey I’m doing my part!’). Surely there is something in between those two extremes! What I came up with is something that can only be resolved by our presence – actually by your presence. None of the stuff we give could ever take the place of showing up. Would you be willing to stop and really think about that? None of the stuff we give could ever take the place of showing up. Your real gift is your self – not just your stuff.

Anything having to do with compassion usually ‘lands’ on compulsion saying something like “You’ve got to do something”. But I’m not sure that does it justice. Every time I step into someone else’s story I find myself saying, “I can’t believe I get to do this.” Every time I step personally into someone else’s story I find a bit more of myself by accident. Christ’s kingdom hints at this powerful secret. Perhaps God has laid out all your best possibilities like bread crumbs along the path to serving someone else. Maybe you need to give us much as anyone else needs to receive.

I think some of my most important work overseas has been just looking into someone else’s eyes so that they knew they were worth more than food, clothing and shelter. It shows that they were worth showing up for. There are few things closer to the heart of Christ’s own mission than that. After all that’s exactly what He did 2,000 years ago – He showed up.

Hands at Work is developing a program in Africa called “Footprints” and it’s designed to engage people with all kinds of opportunities to do just that (to show up). Giving it some deep consideration may be one of the most powerful (and perhaps dangerous) things you’ve done in a long time. I hope you do it none the less.

I hope to see you Sunday and I hope you bring someone with you.

Chris