Be Ye Transformed

Today's post on Compassion's Blog on Child Poverty shares Scott Todd's experience with several Haitian Leadership students now three weeks after the disaster. One student's school had lost 90% of it's student population. Even so, Scott, along with many others, has been discouraged by the way the media at least has already moved on to the next ticket-seller.

After the initial shock and horror of such an event, life must, necessarily, go on. We cannot castigate ourselves for continuing to eat, sleep, and laugh even while others in the world are dying. I would never wish to chastise anyone, including myself, for occasionally getting so busy living that we forget about the suffering of those in Haiti. Many feel themselves "moving on," and are filled with guilt and frustration. I have heard over and over again, "I've given money, I've prayed, I've retweeted, and I've blogged. I've wept over Haiti. What more can I do?"

It is normal to be overwhelmed by the helpless feeling that comes with this kind of disaster. Even those who are in the thick of the relief effort, "doing" for the people 20 hours a day, are not immune to the sense that they are not "doing" enough. In this situation, the important thing is to not give up and to understand that relief for Haiti does not lie in human hands.

All too often philanthropy and compassion amount to writing a check. I wrote a post a few days ago that suggested that occasionally affliction happens to reveal the glory of God through the faithfulness of His people. Does God call us to write checks? Sometimes. But in every situation God calls us to love.

Loving can mean sacrificing your comfort to relieve the suffering of another. Loving can mean being moved to tears or it can mean exhorting those around you to action. But this is not the beginning of showing selfless agape love for others. Rather, selfless agape love starts as a movement in the heart by the Holy Spirit. That stirring of compassion that you felt stirring in the heart when you heard the news was Him planting a seed. Like any seed, the fruit is not of your doing but His. Tend that seed and encourage it, seek the Lord in prayer and through His word. Ask Him what fruit of compassion for Haiti (and all people) He would like to bear in your life. Do not simply "purge" the feeling by writing that check, ask Him what more He has for you. I guarantee the work is much greater than the work that donation will do. He will transform your heart!

So pray, pray, and continue praying. And do not simply go down the list writing prayer checks to Haiti :o) Listen to His voice and let yourself be changed.

On a happier note, I found out today that my sponsor daughter was not affected by the quake, praise God! At the same time I find myself filled with even more compassion for all of the sponsor mommy's and daddy's around the world who have not received or will not receive such good news.

Visit www.compassion.com today to find out more about how you can be involved in the long-term effort to love people in the name of Christ!