Your Greatest Gift to the World

Who are we if we’re not givers of ourselves? It’s all we have.

But there is an opportunity to not only give of ourselves, but to give ourselves to our world by a sustainable ardour of compassion.

Compassion sets itself apart as the king of kindnesses.

This king of kindnesses is so gift-worthy; giving itself away as the other-centred vehicle of blessing to the unveiling of an all-inclusive joy. It is clear that compassion is a blessing to both giver and receiver.

Compassion – the Blessing to Both Giver and Receiver

Compassion’s beyond ration,

In an irrational world,

It’s an other-centred interest,

A flag of beauty unfurled.

When compassion finds us,

In the giving or receiving,

Blessing’s what enshrines us,

Experience is believing.

There is no greater gift from one to another than compassion. Both the giver and the receiver are blessed. Compassion is love in action. And both the giver and receiver receive from God when compassion is part of the transaction between them. It is as if God fills the space between them. The experience of this transaction of compassion between two, initiated by one, generates belief in the power of compassion to transcend all other relational differences.

Valuing Others’ Perceptions

It seems like such a simple thing – to consider the importance of valuing others’ perceptions as a means of demonstrating compassion. When we think of this it makes so much sense: that we trust other people enough to acknowledge them as thinking, feeling people, capable of drawing accurate conclusions – whether their conclusions, in the moment, are accurate or not.

We don’t need to be people highlighting every glaring error. Most people who experience compassion then have the ability to reflect on what they have said – right, wrong, or indifferent. Most basically moral persons will conclude more of the truth having experienced a simple but generous mode of compassion.

It is not our role to the judge and jury. Our role is simply to love.

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Compassion is our privilege in living this life; to pour God’s love into others’ lives. Love always seems unreasonable from the world’s viewpoint. But to love according to the quotient of God we must push the bounds of reasonability, and compassion is manifest of that ‘unreasonable’ material.

Life is an opportunity not only to give of ourselves, but to give ourselves to our world by a sustainable ardour of compassion. That is the abundant life we’re all striving for.

© 2013 S. J. Wickham.