Do We Ever Look Them in the Eyes?

We have somehow created a culture which gives value to the person who is the busiest. Therefore, we try to fill in any blank times in our lives. We talk on our cell phones as we drive. We read our emails at our desks as we speak to others. We take our children to before school day care while we drink coffee and eat a breakfast sandwich. When we get off work we pick up these children from daycare, drive through a fastfood restaurant and expect them to eat as they change into their soccer uniforms. We text others as we watch our children practice. Afterwards, we load them up, tell them to clean up, get their homework done, watch some tv and fall asleep on the couch. At 2:00 AM we stumble up to bed and start all over the next morning at 6:00 AM.

So, I get it. We think we aren't valuable if we aren't busy. Or is this it? Could it be that we just don't know what we should be doing if we didn't fill our time. Is all of our busyness keeping us from seeing that our lives are wandering? Could it be that we don't want to see that others are wandering and feel some responsibility to them?

I can't answer either question for you. I don't know what is going on in your life. I do know that many of the people in my church are super busy. I do know that many of the people who call themselves Christians have lost any sense of responsibility for telling others about Christ. I do know that people ignore the lack of compassion they have for others.

The Bible says that believers should become like Jesus.

Romans 8:29 (ESV) ²⁹ For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

The Bible says that when Jesus saw the crowds He had compassion on them.

Matthew 9:36 (ESV) ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Doesn't that mean that we should see the crowds and have compassion on them? Doesn't that mean that we should see them as harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd? But how can we ever see them when we have kept ourselves in the same wandering mode as they have? How can we see them if we do not have a quiet time which stops all of our busyness so that we can focus on our life in Christ each day? How will we ever have compassion for others while being so focused on ourselves?

But since you are reading this blog, I have a challenge for you. You are, at least, reading a blog which speaks of Christ and, who knows, you may be affected by what the Holy Spirit may be saying through me here. So, my challenge is this: Take a break from the busyness and look people in the eyes. Can you see what they really need? Are they wandering in their lives?

The first step toward compassion is seeing them.