Let us never get tired of doing good
June 11, 2012 (Monday)
More than 50 American cities have passed laws restricting activities of the homeless and/or those who organize methods of helping them. A newspaper suggests the reason behind these new laws: “Compassion Fatigue.”
The Bible warns against “compassion fatigue.” “Where’s the Bible verse?” you may ask. Here it is: “Let us not be weary in well-doing” (Galatians 6:9 KJV). The NASB version translates the verse, “Let us not lose heart in doing good.” “The Message” translates, “let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good.” We could go on. Each translation uses slightly different wording, but all of them warn against allowing ourselves to become hard-hearted.
A favorite saying among people is “If I can [description of action, such as “quit drinking”], then they can do it, too.” Not necessarily true. We are all different from each other. What’s easy for one is difficult for another. We should be slow to criticize others. I like the old Native American prayer, “Oh Great Spirit, keep me from ever judging a man until I have walked a mile in his moccasins.”
In the Bible (Mark 11), we are told about a man named, “Bartimaeus,” who sat at the gate of Jericho, begging. He was blind. Like 45% of the men in those days, he was disabled, and begging was his daily job. Being poor, he had no other choice in those days. That’s just the way it was. How did the people respond to the many beggars? By general consensus, they decided that giving to such people was a religious duty, and the gifts were considered gifts to God.
I read an interesting article just the other day, in which the writer said that he always gives to homeless people who are asking for help. He knows that the people may be able to help themselves, or may spend the money foolishly, but he gives just the same. He feels it’s what God wants him to do.
Deciding where to give our money is our choice, but so is the decision to avoid, at all costs, “compassion fatigue.”