Posts Tagged: racism

“Compassionate? Then Do Something!”

On December 1, 2020 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

“Jesus was moved with compassion . . .” (Matthew 9:36, 14:14; and elsewhere)

“Having sympathy and compassion for all who are in temptation, a condition which we are sometimes in, we have a responsibility towards them. Sympathy always includes responsibility. Pity is useless because it does not have a remedy for the need. But wherever our sympathy goes, our responsibility goes too. When we are moved with compassion, we should go to the one in need and bind up his wounds as best we can.” (From Twenty-Four Hours a Day © 1975 by Hazelden Foundation.)

My brother used to say, “I feel for you, but I can’t reach you.” But a pity, or sympathy, or compassion, or empathy that doesn’t do something, doesn’t amount to anything. Whether you make a distinction between pity, sympathy, compassion, and empathy, what really makes the difference is acting. Love not only reaches; love reaches out.

God felt for his people who were slaves in Egypt. I’m sure of that. But God didn’t stop with his feelings. He did something: He freed them from slavery. Moses was God’s hand reaching out to God’s people.

Jesus felt compassion, but he didn’t stop there. He healed, he taught, he cast out demons, he fed the hungry. Jesus reached and he reached out.

Do I feel badly about racism in our society and in my heart? Then I need to do something about it! Am I grieved by sexism, Covid-19, hunger, war? That’s nice. Now, I need to do something about it!

What can I do today to embody my compassion for others? That is the question. My answer is either action, or my answer means nothing.

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“Racism, Hate and Listening”

On December 6, 2016 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

 

A friend of mine sent me the link to an op-ed his dad wrote.  Here is the link: http://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/contributors/2016/12/02/just-another-stupid-kid-letter-graffiti-artist/94822904/.

You probably need to read the op-ed at the link above.  Then, the rest of this blog will make more sense.

 

Here is the e mail I sent to my friend, Will.

Dear Will,

This is an incredibly powerful piece of writing.

My fear is that we have stopped listening to one another in this country.  Perhaps we never were listening.  Perhaps listening has always been just another word for “mentally rehearsing what we already know—or think we know—while the other person is still talking.”

Please forward this e mail to your dad.  Tell him that I am trying to not just become an angry liberal, and that I will pray for him and for your entire family.  Ask him to also pray for me, that I will not become just as hateful as the “artist” who drew these symbols of hatred.  Hatred, even toward those who hate, is still hatred.  If I indulge in hate, hate wins.  Your dad is right.

Warm (and, I hope, Loving) Regards,

Tomorrow: An ancient story about a modern problem: Wages!

DTEB

 

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