Compassion Needed Everywhere

I had the opportunity to be home on Labor Day and I was astonished as I watched the coverage of Hurricane Gustav on the cable news channels. It was though the reporters were salivating at the prospect of this storm hitting the Gulf Coast, especially New Orleans. There was such anticipation coming from them like Christmas had come early.

Now, why would this be? The obvious answer was the chance to see what the federal government's response would be three years after Katrina. Side note thought that came to me the other day: Do you realize that we personalize a hurricane more than babies in the womb by nature of naming these storms? You mention Katrina and everyone what you're talking about like it's a person, but the unborn is so often relegated to fetus status. Just a thought.

As I was watching all these people evacuating New Orleans I couldn't help but think about the flooding that took place in Texas earlier this year or the fires we had this year and last in California. I don't recall the outpouring of concern from the media about the loss of these people's homes.

Let's face it. If a person loses his home to fire, flood or earthquake it becomes that person's Katrina. A home lost to someone in San Diego is as devasting to someone in New Orleans. I'm ashamed to say that this country has now gone political correctness in the arena of weather. The Bible is very clear that we are to have compassion for everyone. Not just those of certain races or political parties or financial postion.

The Apostle Paul tells the Corinthian church. "All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.

I'm not against helping those in New Orleans, but God is calling us to be compassionate to all people. If we see someone in need and He calls us to help them, then help them. Our ability to comfort others comes from the Lord. The verse above says He is the source of all comfort. We are just fortunate to be a tool or instrument to be used in the process. Praise God for the opportunity!

I love this verse because it says we are not just to be consumers of compassion. God sends people our way when we need and He expects us to show compassion to others when the opportunity presents itself. Call it a "pay it forward" kind of thing. Now that doesn't mean that the person we show compassion to will necessarily be the one who comforts us later. That would trap us into thinking we're doing good deeds with a catch. May that not be our though.

We should always look to others that God puts in our path or our hearts to lend a hand. So the next time you see a family that's house is burned down or is carried away in a mudslide let's be empathetic and compassionate to their situation. Who knows, we never know when we'll need a hand ourselves.