Are You Compassionate?

by Gerrylynn Ferguson on October 27, 2021

How do you express compassion? Sunday’s message was focused on the need to be compassionate toward others. In my role as Community Partnership Coordinator for Oakwood, it may be a bit easier for me to see opportunities to express compassion, so I thought I’d share a few thoughts with you.

Expressing Compassion

Being compassionate toward others can happen in a variety of ways. I encourage you to pause and think about how you currently do that.

Are those ways working? Are you able to practice compassion easily?     

Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone and try new ways of being compassionate toward others?

How much time do you spend caring for others?

Through my own personal experience, as well as watching others and seeing the needs of our Community Partners, here are a few ways I’ve found that you can practice being compassionate:

  • Time. Give the gift of your time by serving the needs of others.
  • Prayer. Pray over people who are in need. Seek out how you can be praying for people in need.
  • Writing. Express your gratitude to people or organizations who care for others – a little encouragement goes a long way.
  • Donations. If you’re able, giving items or financial donations to individuals in need (or the organizations who serve them) is an honorable gift.
  • Words. If the Holy Spirit prompts you to say kind things to show compassion for others, don’t hold back. Kind words at just the right time (God’s time!), can make a big impact on someone’s life.
  • Food. A meal that will fill someone’s belly during a time of need can also fill their soul. (And we have a meal ministry that makes it easy!)
  • Listen. Be present with open ears while people share their hearts and stories.
Opportunities to Be Compassionate

If you’re interested in expressing compassion in our local community, I’d love to connect you with one of our Community Partners. They each serve our community in different ways and have different needs (read about each Community Partner here). For example:

  • HeartLove Place, which serves children and families in Milwaukee, would love volunteer support. Here’s an opportunity this Friday, but they have other needs, as well.
  • Family Promise, which supports homeless families in Waukesha County, has had to evolve quite dramatically in the past two years and could use prayer support and financial donations.
  • The Waukesha Food Pantry is always accepting donations, especially ahead of the holiday season and throughout the year.
  • Spend time in prayer for others at Milwaukee House of Prayer. It’s open 24 hours, 7 days a week for a self guided prayer tour.

 

Being compassionate doesn’t have to be big to be impactful. Listen to what God puts on your heart - He will lead you in ways to serve others. 

Pray about how you can show compassion, especially as you embark on your own Entrusted journey. Then consider the challenge Pastor Marcus shared Sunday based on 1 Timothy 5: 24-25:

“The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.”

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