I was recently reading on compassion, and I came across the following thought:

Pity is when your fear touches another person’s suffering.
Compassion is when love touches their suffering!

When we feel compassion for another person – we come from a place where we are full & peaceful.

I hadn’t really noticed that throughout the Bible stories about Jesus, we consistently read:

Mark 6:34 (NASB)
When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and He began to teach them many things.

It doesn’t say that he pitied them – but rather that he felt compassion for them.  And rather than being paralysed  by fear – he was pushed into action by his love!

If you consider, for a moment, your last engagement with a homeless person or someone begging on the street or at the lights – what was the feeling that surfaced within you?

Was it fear in your belly?

Or was it love in  your heart?

If you see a homeless person – do you automatically judge them and create in your mind a story about why they are in this situation?  How safe is it for them to pass through your mind?  When they walk through the alleys of your mind – are they treated compassionately?

Do you jump to conclusions? “They want this money for drugs”

An ancient proverbs says:

1. I was young and foolish, so I set out to change the world
2. Then I got older, and I set out only to change and improve those that I truly loved and who were closest to me
3. Finally, I was old and wise – and I am now trying to change myself.

How long have you spent battling to change the world or to change others that you love?

How much more effectively would your time be spent if it were invested in changing your heart – coming constantly from a place of compassion for others? When we judge – we are usually in our heads!  When we are fearful, we are typically in our guts!  It’s only when we love, that we can operate from the heart!

The highest expression of Divine Wisdom comes when we accept that other people are not “my project”.  I can change myself. I can change the situation. But I cannot change others.  I can simply offer them unconditional love and acceptance – with wisdom to know how to express that.

Going back to this idea – is it safe for someone to walk through the corridors of my mind? – our thoughts are formative.  They are creative, as our consciousness creates our reality.  If you consider relationships – the way you think about someone is going to influence the way you interact with them – perhaps the way you stand, the expression on your face, the space you open for them in your heart!

How are your thoughts impacting your relationships?

Are your thoughts judgmental? Are you guided by fear?

Or are your thoughts simply present and open to loving them?

When we are filled with inner wisdom – we are able to see beyond ego! We are free from greed, hatred & delusion – because we are secure and safe in our own true identity!

Wisdom is seeing situations and people are they really are – not as they appear to be – not as we perceive them to be – but just simply as they are!

Can you imagine coming from a place where you have constant clear & insightful thinking?  A place where even in stressful moments you are connected to Divine Wisdom – to make calm & intelligent decisions!

What are you doing today to practice becoming that person?

How much time do you spend daily in silence and simply Practicing Presence – in order to be connected with God and Divine Love?

What’s one small step that you could take today that would open your heart to compassion rather than pity?