In one of my small groups the other week, we were talking about the idea of bold compassion. We discussed how Christ built relationships and spoke truth, and did it with love and with respect. Christ was unusual, both to the time He lived in, and to our perceptions today but He always found a way to love those who the rest of society ignored or abandoned. His compassion was unusual, it made people uncomfortable, and it certainly was bold.
Knowing that I intend to go on the World Race, and believing that God is calling me there has been interesting. I’m excited to get to serve globally, to work with a variety of international issues, and to meet and build relationships with people from so many different cultures and walks of life. At times though, it scares me.
Each place I’ve lived and each experience I’ve had has taught me and grown me and I think it’s all been leading up to this, this chance to act in bold compassion globally. I’ve had the opportunity to lead the service team at my church and God has used that process to grow me immensely. I struggle a lot with whether I’m meant to do things, whether there could be a better leader, whether there could be someone better equipped to go on the World Race.
This week I’ve been thinking about how, even if my self-focus is doubtful and “humble,” it’s still selfish. It isn’t about me. For all of my frustrations and fear of failing, the service team at my church has grown, we are doing things and that’s not because I’m a good leader or a passionate server. For all of my questioning of whether I’m the best person to go, I also have to acknowledge that the desire to do international work has been on my heart for years and there’s a reason for that. God has guided me through gaining knowledge (both through my degrees in Social Work and through spiritual growth in my church and in small groups), He has given me people that have helped me to grow my faith and let go of some of my need to control, plan and direct, and He has provided me the support system to take this journey. God has prepared me, and now it’s time to take the risk. If it didn’t feel slightly intimidating, it might not be as effective, and it certainly wouldn’t be as bold.
God does great things through imperfect people, and I find that encouraging. All of the Biblical heroes had flaws, some of them flaws that we would have never considered them heroes and leaders had it only been left to human standards.
We talk about the “least of these” in reference to the verses talking about how if we love the “least of these” we are also showing love to Christ, but I don’t think God sees any of us as the least. I think He sees our potential, I think He loves us for all we can be. And I think we can do it wherever we are, whether it’s Virginia (or South Carolina or DC or …) or Nepal (or India or Guatemala or Ethiopia or…). Where do you find the chance to act with bold compassion or where could you? I’d love to know.
