Showing Compassion in a #SELFIE centered world
(these are some of the highlights from Brad Clarke’s talk at The Village on May 31)
After our church community (THE VILLAGE) hosted a community event on the previous Saturday, we felt the best way to follow up on Sunday would be to talk about Compassion…
Think about all the messages we hear and see via social media – random nothing’s, family pictures, important quotes, advertisement, sports news, important news, and more random info that we really don’t need to know. What we do see a lot of in our Twitter and FB feeds are ‘selfies’ – pictures taken with our own hands/phones to tell people what we’re doing at that very instance.
One positive thing that social media has really been a catalyst for is the raising of awareness for wonderful justice causes (i.e. Nepal Earthquake, ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, etc). One problem or question may be that with all the awareness, are we actually doing something? It’s one thing to communicate compassionate statements in 140 characters, but quite another to turn that feeling of compassion into action.
Jesus was the best example of what it means to actually ‘show’ compassion – his life was overflowing with compassion.
Three things that compassion will require from you when it becomes more than a feeling…from three historical figures that put their money where their mouth was…
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small(er) group questions:
Do you think the rise of Social Media has helped or hindered in regards to showing compassion for others? Or is it both? How has it helped? How has it hindered?
Is there someone I need to be more compassionate towards? Friend, Family Member, Co-Worker, Neighbour?
Jesus was the perfect model of compassion because what he felt didn’t stay in his head or heart, but it led to action. What can I do to be more like Jesus?
– What kind of person looks like him?
– How can our church look more like him?
What is stirring in your gut (bowels:)? What ‘moves’ you towards compassion? Is there a ‘holy discontent’ in you that can or will drive you to action? (e.g. human trafficking, clean drinking water, homelessness, battered women in danger, etc.)
How can God use you to make our world better?