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Bible verse: Proverbs 17:5 "Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished."
Insight: This passage shows a lot about what it takes to have compassion for others. Mocking others and gloating about their pain shows a lack of compassion in our hearts. Christ is empathetic and compassionate and has called us to hurt for others as He hurts for us. As Christ-followers we should see the pain of others as an opportunity to be present in any capacity that we can be. Whether that be through prayer, listening to their pain, starting a ministry, or whatever else, we are not called to be complacent in the midst of others' pain; we are called to bring the light and love of God where there is deep hurt.
Work application: Being a compassionate person is part of our work lives too! What if we gloated every time someone didn't get a promotion or received negative feedback? What if we looked down upon those who are different in and out of our workplace? That wouldn't be very christ-like at all. We are called to show God's compassion in every aspect of our lives, and this translates into the workplace too. How can we be better stewards of this compassion wherever we go, including in the workplace? We should start with prayer. We pray each day to have our hearts open to the compassionate truth that is God and His love for others and their circumstances. A beautiful story that exemplifies this set-apart compassion comes from Sarah Y. Tse, co-author of From Illusion to Reality. When she was 22 years old, she worked with a middle-aged lady named Linda at the art department in Harte-Hanks. Linda was employed at least ten years before Sarah—she worked slowly and slurred her speech a bit. Sarah had heard co-workers mock and make fun of Linda every once in a while. Sarah noticed that Linda smoked at least half a pack of cigarettes during breaks and had lunch by herself in the lunch room. One day and prompted by the holy spirit, Sarah asked her if she could join her for lunch, and Linda was delighted. During their conversation, they found that they lived in an apartment complex next to each other. They became good friends after that single lunch together, and Sarah even visited her when she was too sick to show up to work. On one occasion, Sarah attached $40 cash (equivalent to $80 to today’s dollar) to Linda's time card. Linda had never mentioned that she needed the extra money, but Sarah sensed that she needed some extra cash that day. Linda almost teared up when she told Sarah that she did not have money for lunch that day. Sarah expresses that she was too young to fully appreciate what that experience meant, but it taught her to be compassionate to those who were in need, especially those who were outcasts. Not long after that, Sarah's supervisor told her that Linda had passed away from cancer. A few decades later, Sarah still remembers Linda who was a humble, kind, genuine, and grateful person. These attributes are hard to find, and Sarah will never take them lightly.
Grateful: I am grateful to serve such a compassionate and loving God. I am thankful that I can give that kind of compassion and love to others.
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Contributor: Jessica Carrera holds a B.A. in English with a concentration in writing and a minor in Biblical Studies from Biola University. She aspires to touch the lives of others through her words.