Tag: gospel of matthew

The Parable of the Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

“‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

“‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn….’”

Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. (New International Version)

Harvest in Provence, by Vincent Van Gogh, 1888

People of every age struggle with the evil present in this world – and also within the church. For how do we make sense of those who profess Christ but have no fire and passion for their faith? How do we reconcile our own faith with folks in the church who seem to care more about getting their own way than about sacrificing themselves to reach people who do not know Christ. Jesus says, “He who has ears, let him hear.” In other words, listen!

Jesus has informed us that in this present evil age we live in, between his two advents of incarnation and Second Coming, not everything for Christians is going to be rainbows and unicorns.

There are competing pressures on the Church, and sometimes she will fail. The kingdom of God has broken into history and is present, but sin and evil is there, too. So, our focus must be on the hope we have when Christ comes again to judge the living and the dead.

In Christ’s parable of the weeds (or the parable of the wheat and the tares) the enemy of our souls seeks to distract the workers by overwhelming them with evil. If Satan cannot prevent God’s kingdom from being established in the human heart, the devil will try and corrupt the heart by throwing as much evil at it as he can. 

The devil has no problem with people saying they are Christians; the thing Satan has a problem with is people giving themselves unconditionally and unreservedly to God for kingdom business.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

Jesus (Matthew 7:21, NIV)

Where did all these weeds come from?

I’ll frame this question in the modern form that many people have asked me over the years: “If God is a God of love, why is there so much evil in the world?” Or, “If this is Christ’s Church, why is it so messed up?”

Jesus is straightforward in his answer: An enemy did this. In other words, God didn’t plant evil – the source of evil comes from the devil, not God. God’s agenda is for the seed to take root in the human heart and grow into a full-fledged embodiment and commitment to the words and ways of Jesus.

When that growth doesn’t happen, the problem is not because God messed up; it’s because the devil has also done his own work of planting. And the devil wants the opposite of God: to have Christians nit-picking each other like a bunch of crazy chickens, and keeping a demonic pecking order; instead of being the continuing presence of Christ on this earth.

What do we do with all these weeds?

That is, how do we deal with wicked people?  The answer seems obvious: Pull the weeds up and get rid of them. Get rid of wicked people and their wicked behavior. Yet Jesus says in response to this line of reasoning in a clear and unequivocal answer of “No.” But why? Because doing violence to the weeds ends up doing violence to the wheat, as well.

Christ’s answer to the problem of evil is: Let God take care of it. Meanwhile, until that fully happens, we must co-exist with evil, rather than exterminate evil people.

There is always a temptation for believers to force people into the kingdom of God (e.g. the Spanish Inquisition). Yet, at the harvest (the final judgment at the end of the age) evil will be squarely dealt with. Judge Jesus will have the angels separate the wheat from the tares, and the weeds will be burned up.

This teaching from Jesus may open up a whole set of other questions, such as:

  • What am I supposed to do with evil? Just watch it happen? 
  • Am I to let that evil person just be evil? Shouldn’t I give them what they deserve?
  • Shouldn’t I at least tell evil people that they are no good rotten sinners? That they are going to hell because they are wicked?

This doesn’t mean we do nothing. Earlier in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus has already said: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)  We are to love and pray people into the kingdom, not force them in.

As for the evil, Jesus will decisively solve the problem of evil, not you, nor me! It isn’t our place to be judge, and if we make it our place, we’ll end up hurting and destroying our brothers and sisters.

Where is evil?

A sobering reality taught by Jesus in this parable is that it’s not a simple matter that we, the wheat are here, and they, the weeds, are over there. It is much more sinister than that; the enemy is within, not out there. 

We have no further to look than in our own hearts and within our own faith communities – which is why we need the lordship of Christ to completely overtake us. Evil is present in the Church, next to the good, seeking to:

  • discourage people in their commitment to Christ
  • offend and hurt others, particularly by overlooking and speaking ill of weaker people
  • step on others in order to get it’s way
  • be a stumbling block to those trying to do God’s will
  • promote ignorance of God’s Word, for no one can live by God’s will if they do not know what it is

The eventual end of sinister people is that, when Christ returns, they will be separated from the righteous and thrown into the fire, just like a harvester would do with a bunch of weeds. As the wicked went about their lives in anger, upsetting others in this life, so they will be tormented in the next.

Conclusion

We may expect God to handle evil in a hurry. But the kingdom of God doesn’t work that way; it’s intended to be planted in the ground, and takes time to grow. While it’s growing, evil is there, like a weed.

Whenever things go sideways because of wickedness, we might expect God to act quickly and drastically to uproot the evil. We may confuse God’s slowness as being uncaring, when in reality it means that God is patient, and desires people to change. And change always begins with you and me.

God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, we are a complacent people. While you desire us to be a beacon of light to a world in need, we are preoccupied with all the weeds in the field. We are sorry for the madness unleashed through our own selfish desires. May you plant the seed of love in our hearts for all people, not just our friends. And we shall commit to watering and nurturing that seed with your Word, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Develop a Virtuous Ethic (Matthew 7:15-20)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” (New Living Translation)

God has always been concerned for ethical virtue. And Jesus was always careful to take that ethic and help others identify it and apply it.

Virtuous ethics was well-known in the ancient world, especially thanks to the Greeks and Aristotle – who espoused that a person’s character is the determinative factor in discerning the extent to which that person is a good person.

For Aristotle, ethics includes moral virtues such as courage, temperance, compassion, generosity, honesty, and justice. The person in whom these moral virtues are to be found as steadfast dispositions can be relied on to exhibit a good character, and therefore, is able to make morally correct actions in moral decision-making situations.

For Jesus, religious legalism was a clear outward sign of the lack of inward moral virtue. Bad religion was a result of bad character. Therefore, everyone ought to beware of the religious leaders who exhibited stifling religious legalism.

Nothing can choke the heart and soul out of a person’s true spirituality, and hinder the development of virtue, like the legalist who teaches a precise extra-biblical list of do’s and don’ts.

For many folks, it seems easier to live by the list than to pursue the harder road of developing the character qualities needed for a solid and virtuous religious ethic. Christian discipleship involves growing into spiritual maturity and allowing a seasoned character to shape how we make decisions. 

To do so, we must patiently and consistently follow in the way of Jesus, which is the way of grace and of life.

Today’s Gospel lesson is Christ’s conclusion to his Sermon on the Mount. It is a sermon that sets forth the values of God’s kingdom and devalues the core of legalistic thought. 

I define legalism as a compulsion to spell out, in great detail, how everyone is to live a godly life; purposely going beyond the stated commands of Holy Scripture so that all persons can know exactly what they are supposed to do in any situation.

The problem with this approach to the Christian life is that godliness is merely an outward expression of our ability to hold to the list. It really has nothing to do with cultivating a virtuous ethic of life.

“Do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Everything they do is done for people to see.”

Jesus on the legalist (Matthew 23:3-5, NIV)

The legalistic way of life and religion feeds human pride and boasting; it goes against the inner heart values of humility and meekness in Christ’s Beatitudes. The teaching of Jesus ends up getting lost in trying to do everything right or perfect.

Jesus, through the Sermon on the Mount, led the crowd to a point of decision, letting them know they are at a crossroads. There are two alternatives: Choose the way of life as expressed in Christ’s teaching, or else choose the way of destruction through the legalistic list. In order to press the crowd toward the necessity of choosing wisely, Jesus used metaphors to make his point.

False teaching in the form of legalism is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Be wary of people who seem pious and sincere, yet who do not quite pass the smell test. After all, Satan himself, the Apostle Paul once said, masquerades as an angel of light, appearing righteous, yet, is intent on deceiving many. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

So, how do we recognize a wolf who spiritually and emotionally devours people, and has no intention of helping but harming? Look at the fruit of the tree. 

Jesus is the good tree. Christ advocates for a searching of the heart. This leads to the result of righteous fruit. The bad tree is also seen by its fruit. Anyone who fails to live the Beatitudes of Jesus will be seen by the rotten fruit of boasting and pride.

False teachers tend to believe they are above others. After all, they are experts at keeping the list of do’s and don’ts! Yet, a false disciple will always be shown by their profound lack of grace, gentleness, and genuine humility. They inevitably advocate for holding to their brand of religion and keeping the unscriptural list. The absence of true righteousness and justice in their lives eventually results in their being cut down and thrown into the fire.

For Jesus, there is no riding the fence between the two alternatives presented – and it is a matter for him of life and death. The way of Jesus leads to life, good fruit, entrance into the kingdom of heaven, and stability. The other alternative ends in destruction, bad fruit and fire, exclusion from the kingdom, and being ruined.

The sobering reality of Christ’s teaching is that many people can be deceived with a devil’s bargain: “Take the nice handy legalistic list and you will become godly. Here are twelve principles to change your life. Follow these rules, pray this prayer, give your money to this, and all will be well.” It is, however, a highway to the grave.

The false teacher proclaims himself a “fruit inspector” and then goes on to judge everyone by his own contrived legalistic list. So then, there is a need to repent of religious lists, political agendas, and teachings which ignore and demean Christ’s Sermon on the Mount.

One of the telltale signs of holding to a conjured list is when we are not honest with one another about our struggles. The bald fact of list-living is that we cannot fulfill it. So, when we know we are not measuring up to the list, the temptation is to keep up appearances as if we are doing just fine. 

List-living eschews showing any weakness or imperfection:

  • I cannot admit my sin to anyone because the list pronounces me a failure if I do. 
  • I cannot enter a deep and prolonged grief over my loss because the list says I need to stay strong. 
  • I cannot profess my doubts about God because the list says if I doubt, I am not a real Christian.

My response and recommendation to legalistic list-living is this: To hell with the list! 

Instead, give praise to Jesus Christ who has given us the way of grace! For it is grace which transforms hearts, turns lives around, and provides genuine joy and satisfaction. If grace is not the answer, we are not asking the right question. The tree of life has an abundant supply of gracious fruit.

The greatest anti-legalistic prayer we can pray is the tried and true ancient prayer of the Church: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.”

Tussling with Trouble (Matthew 10:24-39)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment

“The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

“So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,
    a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
    a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. (New International Version)

We can expect opposition and trouble from the world

Those who follow the words and ways of Jesus will experience hardship at the hands of others, because Christ’s values are often different than how the world’s systems typically operate. 

Being called the Devil (Beelzebul) isn’t exactly a term of endearment. There were those so upset with Jesus that they equated him with Satan. So, since Christ got this kind of verbal treatment, how much more will we be the brunt of false accusations, slander, and gossip? 

We are not above our Lord – we will be treated as he was. We cannot expect that we are above getting into trouble. Believers are promised deliverance from sin, death, and hell – and not from the meanness and ignorance of people in this present life.

Because of this reality, we need to be savvy to our situation of trouble and practice common sense, as well as have a mental disposition that thinks the best of people, and does not immediately judge and condemn others.

All of this requires us to avoid the two extremes of either simple assimilation into the culture, or rejection of the culture as evil. Both the blending into culture, and the separating from it, each share the same preferred outcome of trying to avoid opposition and trouble. 

Instead, there is a third way of being faithful to following the way of Jesus: Interact with and engage the culture as salt and light. (Matthew 5:13-16)

Assimilation causes us to lose our saltiness; and isolation hides our light. So, let’s find wise ways to understand truth and apply it in the concrete situations of life in this world. 

For example, we can discuss life issues about our jobs and school from a Christian perspective, so that we might speak into others’ lives, instead of just standing against something and complaining about it: How might we show both grace and truth in a particular situation? Are there ways we can give support without condoning something we oppose, and how?

We can expect that we are going to disrupt and upset our families and experience opposition from them

14th century fresco of Christ with a sword, in the Sacred Monastery of the Ascension of Christ Church, Kosovo

Unfortunately, opposition does not just come from the world, but within the very families and communities we love and rub shoulders with every day. Most persecution, hardship, and trouble for believers in Jesus come from family and those closet to us. 

Although I grew up in a church-going family, we never really discussed faith or Christianity. When I became serious about walking with Jesus, I faced a lack of support. I was often the brunt of teasing and verbal jabbing. My commitment to Christ had butted up against the family value of never rocking the boat. 

There was once a woman who experienced new life in Christ. When God grabbed ahold of her life, she had been on track to becoming the next Barbara Walters. But her newfound values of embracing the Beatitudes of Jesus rubbed the television broadcast world too much. 

So, she went into radio. Instead of looking toward a lucrative life on screen, she settled for less money and no fame behind the microphone of a Christian radio station. Her family didn’t understand this. And marrying a preacher didn’t help the situation any for her. To this day she still faces hardship and resentment for making decisions that did not get her the American dream.

Jesus said that anyone who wants to take the path of least resistance by not rocking the family boat with Christian love is not worthy of him. Anyone who does not take up their cross and follow Jesus in the way of trouble is not worthy of following him. 

We must die to self – which often means dying to avoidance of conflict – and become alive to the wonder of God’s mercy and love in the world.

We don’t need to be afraid of getting into trouble

Why? Because…

  1. Fear has to do with the unknown. So since we know opposition and trouble is expected, we will not live in dread of what might happen. The early Christians actually rejoiced in their suffering because they considered it a privilege to be walking in the way of Jesus. (Acts 5:27-42)
  2. You will receive special help. In times of persecution, we have a Helper, the Holy Spirit, given to us for such times as these. (John 3:34; 16:1-15)
  3. God isn’t surprised by your hardship. The Lord will eventually deal with all that is wrong in this world.
  4. The wrath of God is to be more feared than the wrath of people.
  5. God is watching over all the details of my life. If God cares for all the small details, how much more will the Lord take care of the big issues in my life?

Conclusion

It is a privilege to follow Jesus into trouble. This is what is called “upside-down” theology: 

  • In giving my life away to Jesus, I find it. 
  • In getting into trouble, I find peace. 
  • In serving and taking up our cross, there is happiness, not depression. 

Sometimes, things in the kingdom of God seem upside-down; and that is as it should be. Facing trouble is really not the worst thing to be experienced – being separated from God is. 

We are to expect opposition from the world, and from family. Yet, we need not be afraid, because tussling with trouble is part of what it means to follow Jesus – it is the way of the cross.

So, count the cost. Give your life away. In doing so, you will certainly not lose your reward from God.

A Life of Compassion (Matthew 9:35-10:23)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
Wheat Stacks with Reaper, by Vincent Van Gogh, 1888

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. (New International Version)

Use your voice for kindness, your ears for compassion, your hands for charity, your mind for truth, and your heart for love.

We need compassion; humanity cannot survive without it.

Compassion is…

  • a concern for the well-being of others
  • the basis for altruism and the most virtuous motive one can possess
  • activated within the human heart when witnessing another person’s suffering
  • helping other people feel seen, heard, and known
  • the bridge that connects us with another in need
  • life

While on this earth, I believe Jesus was the very embodiment of compassion. To reflect on Christ’s compassion helps us to raise our own compassion quotient, and thus, avoid succumbing to the whims of indifference concerning human need.

Compassion responds to human need

In his earthly ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing, Jesus went through all the towns and villages. He neither waited for people to come to him nor wanted anyone to fall through the cracks. Doing this compassionate work, Jesus was moved by the depth of people’s needs.

The word for “compassion” in the Bible means “to be moved in the pit of your gut.” It is to be filled with pity and heartbroken over the unmet needs of people.

So, what moves and stirs compassion deep down in your gut?

Jesus went into towns and was broken-hearted over people who were harassed and helpless, locked into patterns of life that were harmful and damaging. 

Jesus came to this earth to seek and save people, offering forgiveness and a new life. Jesus willingly brought compassion – and his motivation for doing so was neither from duty nor guilt. Compassion is the proper motivation for all things.

Just as Jesus went out and ministered, then was moved by what he saw, so our compassion is aroused whenever we go out and enter people’s lives, seeing first-hand the depth of human need.

Compassion results in prayer

Christ saw the masses of people and told his disciples to ask God to send workers because the harvest is plentiful. Jesus knows there are large numbers of people waiting to hear good news. So, he said to pray earnestly and compassionately.

Compassion brings us to prayer and impels us to pray that workers be sent to people who are ripe for hearing good news. We must not listen to the hellish lie: That certain people don’t really want the good news of the kingdom of God; that my neighbor, or co-worker, or family member is not spiritual and doesn’t care about forgiveness or grace – that there is nothing within them to respond to compassion.

The devil does not want us to have merciful compassion for them, to be moved to intercede for them in prayer, nor to become a harvester in the field of people. Jesus said the harvest is plentiful; and it is through compassionate prayer that the work will be done.

Compassion sends us out

The call to prayer is central, but it’s not everything. As faith without works is dead, so prayer without mission is empty.

The people Jesus authorized for ministry were a collection of twelve motley disciples who thought differently about a great many things. Yet, the compassion of Jesus changes lives and brings people together from diverse backgrounds and viewpoints.

The disciples were told, in their initial mission as followers of Jesus, to go only to the house of Israel. Israel’s house needed to be put in order first before they could ever think of going to Gentiles. We begin by reaching out to people in our own backyard.

“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Jesus (Acts 1:8, NIV)

Jesus told the disciples to do exactly what he had been doing: preaching and healing, proclaiming the message that “the kingdom of God is near.” 

The kingdom is not only something in the future; the kingdom of God has already broken into the present time, and the evidence of it is the transformation of people’s lives now. The blessings and promises of kingdom life are presently available.

Jesus sent the disciples out and told them not to take anything with them. They were to leave all their baggage behind. The disciples were to be stripped of everything so that they had the ability to see people and their needs and be moved with compassion as Jesus was.

The kingdom of God was near to them, so they did not need to add anything for the mission. Jesus did not want his disciples assuming they already knew what people needed. Instead, they must be present to people and discover their needs without bias. As compassion is freely received, it is to be freely given.

Cultivating Compassion

Compassion is the appropriate response to human need. Yet, we do not always react with compassion. The following are a few approaches which prevent us from becoming compassionate, along with some ways of cultivating a compassionate life:

  1. A defeating and discouraging environment. Contempt, anger, hatred, and abuse drives out compassion. The environment around us makes a difference. If we find we must check our hearts at the door and avoid compassion to just make it, then we need a change of environment. Life is too short, and the world too compassion-starved, to maintain a situation that drags us down and hinders the kingdom of God within us.
  2. An unhealthy pace of life.  A person cannot have a compassionate heart if they are running too fast to see other people’s needs. When spare moments are used to try and figure out how to keep all the balls in the air and all the plates spinning, there’s no way to dole out compassion to others. So, slow down. No one comes to the end of life and wishes they had logged more hours of work at their job. Develop a plan on how to slow down enough to tune into the needs of others and have emotional energy for them.
  3. Excessive caregiving. Compassion fatigue is a real thing. Resentment can build toward the very people we care for because of constant giving without receiving. When the emotional gas tank is empty, it is possible to become cold-hearted. Yet, some keep going anyway – and ruin their engine. Caring for others must be meticulously balanced with caring for self. There is a time for everything, including rest and recuperation. Jesus regularly practiced the disciplines of solitude and silence. If he needed those restorative practices, so do we.
  4. Objectifying people. Whenever we put adjectives in front of people, compassion is lacking. Referring to “those” people, “lesbian” neighbors, “black” folks at work, my “obnoxious” relative, or, the “poor” family down the street, are all examples of objectifying people and putting them at a distance from ourselves. Your neighbors are your neighbors, your family is your family, and the people in your life are just people, period. Compassion arises as we look for what is common among us, not different. Compassion brings solidarity with others, not separation and division.

May you allow God the time to form a compassionate heart within through being with Jesus. May compassion toward others be the defining characteristic of your life.