Compassion in a Cruel World

A MAN in Burundi falls seriously ill with malaria. He urgently needs to be transferred to a hospital. But how? No car is available to take him. Two of his close friends come to his aid. They put him on a bicycle and push him for five grueling hours over mountainous terrain. They get him to a bus that takes him to the nearest hospital. A few days later, he is significantly better.

On the other side of the globe, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the Gulf area of the United States in August 2005, a group of volunteers chance upon a house crushed under fallen trees. The volunteers, complete strangers to the owner of the house, spend the whole day removing fallen trees and debris with chain saws. “I can’t thank these [people] enough,” says the owner.

Sensational media reports tend to emphasize atrocities and acts of brutality. Daily acts of compassion and kindness are often eclipsed by these accounts. This, however, does not change the fact that people everywhere are desperate for love, affection, and sympathy. We hunger for compassion! Such sentiments may be more common during the Christmas season, when many speak or sing about ‘peace and good will toward men.’​—Luke 2:14, King James Version.

 Showing compassion may not be easy in a world that seems predominantly cold and inhospitable. The prevalent attitude is that ruthlessness and insensitivity pave the way for success and triumph. Many appear to live by the creed that it is more prudent to be cruel than compassionate. Greed and egotism easily cut off the flow of compassion.

As a result, many put themselves first, even at the cost of other people’s feelings or interests. Male sports and entertainment heroes are often presented as “real men” (machos) who do not show gentle affection. Some political rulers behave similarly.

Therefore, we do well to ask: Why should we be sympathetic? Is compassion a power for good? And what can help us to show compassion? The following article will discuss these questions.

[Box on page 3]

•Is it a weakness to show compassion?

•Does compassion have power?

•In what practical ways can you show sympathy?