Lesson 3
I. Introduction
It is important to our stress levels that we build our perspective
concerning the things around us, especially the people that we
come in contact with the most. One very important thing that we
can do in this regard is to develop our compassion for these people.
Compassion is a sympathetic feeling,. It involves the willingness
to put yourself in someone else's predicament, and simultaneously,
to feel love for that person.
II. Develop Your Compassion
A. Compassion is the ability to recognize people's problems, their
pain and frustrations, and act in a way to offer assistance. In
opening our hearts to others we are able to become more Christlike
and to enhance our sense of love for each other and for ourselves.
B. Compassion involves two main things: intention and action. 1. Intention simply means you remember to open your heart. You expand what matters from yourself to others.
Action is what you do about your intentions. The things that you can do in exercising your compassion involve donating time, money, offering a beautiful smile, or even just listening. If we take time to reflect on God's glorious creation; the miracle of life, the gift of sight, of love, and all other gifts that we sometimes take for granted, many of the things that we see as important fade and our relationships with God, Christ and our fellow man become more important. Only then will we be able to focus and act on our compassion for others.
See the following passages: Ex. 2:6, Mt. 9:35, 18:23-27, Heb
10:34-35, I Pet. 3:8,9, I John 3:17.
III. Be the First One to Act Loving or Reach Out.
A. Many of us hold on to little resentments that may have stemmed
from an argument, a misunderstanding, or some other painful event.
Stubbornly, we wait for someone else to reach out to us-believing
this is the only way we can forgive or rekindle a relationship.
How many people have we known that have carried this kind of emotional
baggage to their grave? When we hold onto these kind of things
the small things in life suddenly become big stuff. We start believing
that our position in these conflicts is more important than our
relationship with that person.
B. Go to the other person first. See Matt. 18:15, and the example
of the Good Samaritan from Lesson 2. The experience of doing this
will bring inner peace and satisfaction in knowing that you did
the right thing, even if the conflict is not resolved. See also
I John 4:19-20.
IV. Once a week send a heartfelt card or letter to someone.
A. This exercise will help us become more caring and loving. It
is important to open our feelings to others. If we don't reach
out to others, they may never reach out to us. Picking up a pen
or typing on a keyboard slows you down long enough to remember
the beautiful people in your life.
B. The purpose of this is very simple: to express love and
gratitude. If you are awkward at first this will pass as you do
this more and more. Also this is not a contest to see how much
you can write, just express two or three things that you admire
and love about this person. Here is an example of what you might
do:
Dear _________
I woke up this morning thinking of how lucky I am to have people
in my life like you. Thank you for your warmness to those about
you and for the caring attitude that you always show. Thank you
so much for being a friend to me and to God and his people. I
wish for you happiness and joy.
In Christian Love, Doug
A note like this will not only help you to focus your attention
on what's right in your life but also what is right in the life
of the other person. Hopefully this act will inspire them to reach
out and feel more loving to others. Let's all take time right
now to write a short letter on our postcards to someone, and then
address and send it when you can. See II Thess 1:3-8
Happy verses: Psalms 146:5, John 13:5-17, Acts 26:2f, Romans 14:22,
James 5:11, I Peter 3:14.