Chapter 5
Not everyone can conform to the expectations of society, and in this chapter we'll learn from such individuals. Beginning with Isaiah 13:1-3 and John 3:16, emphasis is put on the need for patience – the treasure that should be in everyone's heart. The title of chapter five evokes us to reflect further on who we consider successful and change the view we hold of society’s standards for success.
Compassion in a World with Standards
Success is often measured by meeting certain social standards—wealth, career achievements, status, and material possessions. These markers of success can create pressure to constantly perform and achieve at optimal level, leading to feelings of inadequacy when we fall short. However, Jesus calls us to a different standard—one that is rooted in compassion and empathy. As he said, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35).
The Weight of Expectation
The moment society takes us in their grips and uses us for their intended purpose, the burden of expectations become immense. And when such standards are not met, the feeling of inadequacy creeps in. However, Christ views success through a different lens. It is clear in the Gospels that Christ did not need riches, or influential power to feel accomplished. Instead, he befriended the lowly outcast, the poor, the sick and the sinful. This is evident in how Christ viewed people. He did not concern himself with their achievements but spoke on their worth in God’s site.
The world’s measuring stick is quite large but we should stay focused on the unseen world that is filled with love and compassion. To quote Jesus: “For what will it benefit a man if he gains the world and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26). Today, we do not allow society to define our worth; we are inspired through Christ's command to love one another.
Spiritual Wealth
Isaiah 13:1-3 reminds us how God wanted order and ensured cooperative living among us. Nobles were tasked by God to maintain standards, however through Christ, a higher standard was established. This is what we term as ‘spiritual wealth’ – the sufficiency or excess of God’s love to us and through us to others. As we see in the book of Romans, the measure of God's love for the world, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for our sake (Romans 5:8).
The love that God shows us through Jesus, even in our brokenness, becomes the model for how we are to love others. Compassion is not just about being nice or supportive; it’s about embracing and acknowledging the spiritual wealth in every person, regardless of whether they meet social standards of success. As L. Gregory Jones states, "True compassion aligns us with God's heart and brings us closer to spiritual fulfillment (Jones).
Living a Compassionate Life
A life of compassion involves devoting our attention to ways through which we can help and uplift other people. It has the effect of redirecting our energies from seeking self achievements to cultivating our other self which pleases God. Compassion is not something we do out of our own volition in order to feel proud of ourselves; it is in fact God’s love that abounds in us that guides us to do so: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). Understanding and compassion enables us to appreciate and treat both ourselves and others differently than how we would under normal circumstances. We realize that everyone is unique and treasured by God and worthy of love. And this change in attitude has the potential of changing how we live and relate to others.​
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Through the actions of a compassionate heart, we work towards the created society that is, caring and friendly. Where people are respected not just for their achievements, but for how they treat others. We lift up others’ through love and understanding, building communities, while serving others.