Experience the same hurt or keep having the same disappointments and watch the walls around your heart go up.
I’m not sure why two out of three travelers opted not to help a man obviously in need but I can certainly guess.
Their reasons may not be much different from some of ours.
Working in ministry or leadership can definitely cause you to wall up your compassion and blind you to the needs of others.
This type of work could skew your perception; alter your motives and intentions if you’re not careful. The hurt you sometimes experience can foster a, me against them attitude.
And let me tell you a wounded and frustrated leader is a dangerous leader.
I promise you that.
You wouldn’t believe some of the things that are said from across the pulpit.
You don’t even have to be in ministry or a leader to build walls around your heart.
You can get hurt and vow to never let anyone get close to you again.
But living behind walls or discounting people or seeing people as a means to your end goes against the love and compassion we’re supposed to show.
It’s not love in action.
Because we’re supposed to be known by the love we show to one another.
We’re supposed to be moved with compassion and then do something about what we see.
But oftentimes our hurt trumps His compassion and we withdraw altogether.
We shut up our “bowels of mercy” and classify an entire people as unfit and not worthy of our time.
If only we would expose our brokenness…
If only we would be honest with God about our disappointments and frustrations and anger.
Maybe, just maybe we could get healed and once again have hearts filled with compassion and serve those led to us.
#thiswomanknows
Lisa N. Alexander is the author and founder of This Woman Knows and What Million-Dollar Brands Know. She is an award-winning filmmaker, director, producer, and writer and is the owner of PrettyWork Creative.
Lovely post. Thank you.
Words that help me are: “hurt people, hurt people”. When someone has hurt me, I remember that they too have been hurt. It doesn’t mean I sit around and wait for the next “blow” but it does move me closer towards compassion.
Same here Diana. Here’s my creed…just because I understand your hurt doesn’t negate my own. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!