Page 70 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 3

ISSUE THREE | NOV/DEC

ompassion, for compassion is supposed to do. At really don’t know what they need
many, means least at some level. from others. For instance, a man,
sympathy and pity Compassion is really not a concept because he is broke, sits on the
for the sufferings that tries to do good when there is side of the street begging for alms.
or misfortunes a need for it. It’s a lifestyle of purity He may genuinely receive some
Cof others. Even and godliness laced with kindness. alms based on pity that others
the dictionary has the same A simple beautiful heart that just have for him, but it will only take
definition. However, I do believe loves to pour out goodness to a person with true compassion
this interpretation or definition of others, whether there is need for (Passionate Communication
compassion is way too lean and it or not. It’s like having the good ability) to really communicate with
dry. It just doesn’t feel complete. heart of a child who never even this man’s passion or the depth
I prefer something deeper and recognizes when it’s time to do of his heart to know that what he
much more interesting to both the good or not. Children just pour out really needs is not alms like a
giver of a compassionate act and of the abundance of their sweet beggar, but a true voice to speak
the receiver of such acts. I mean good hearts, without expecting to his weak heart and weary self
something much more engaging anything in return. (Well, maybe esteem, to help him hold on to the
than just a transient show of ‘I these days, children have also truth of Who God says he is, that
have something for you because begun to learn negative heart he is more than a beggar. You see
of your suffering’ etc. attitudes, which they pick up from what I mean? It takes a deeper
Life is made up of various aspects their parents and adults around concern and real time engaging
of human relationships and the them. The internet is full of such communication to resolve deeper
way the heart is put to use for the acts of negative learnings. But issues, far from “I can see you
thriving of such relationships is there is hope.) In other words, have needs and you are begging,
key in defining compassion. We compassion is first the beauty of so take this one dollar and be
now live in a world where much the giver’s heart rather than the good.”
goodness has been thrown out of fulfillment of a need in a receiver.
the window and unkindness has From the story of Jesus and the
taken a bigger root in the hearts Passionate communication man at the pool of Bethsaida,
and minds of people. So much so Like I had said earlier, I do not we see a clear example of this
that it now looks strange and even necessarily love to see the act of concept of compassion. Jesus
embarrassing to see someone compassion as some act of pity knew the man had been at that
show an act of kindness towards for another’s situation, but rather pool for 38 years and thus needed
another person. Or at best, the as a lifestyle of pure goodness. urgent help. The man on the
act of kindness is simply another From this point, let me share my other hand wanted to be healed
excuse for a selfie for Instagram own definition of compassion. I of his sickness but through the
and Facebook posts. It even see compassion as a combination way it has always been, when
gets weirder in this our gay-laden of two words, which are: Passion the angel comes to stir the pool.
society when a man shows such and Communication. Passion Jesus however had a different
acts of emotional kindness to here refers to the deep, heartfelt communication with his heart or
another man. Or when a woman reason behind a motivation, action passion. He, Jesus, wanted him
does the same to another woman. or situation. It is not the way the to have his healing immediately
Such acts suddenly raise dumb world has defined it to refer to the without having to wait for the next
questions, which often have dumb more sensual and carnal desires time the angel came to stir the
answers. My point is, how did we of a man. water. And also Jesus knew that
humans get to the point where healing this man on that day which
acts of kindness, goodness and The concept of Passion and happens to be a Sabbath day
compassion have become acts Communication simply tries would be a good excuse to deal
of weirdness or a tool for getting to see compassion from the with the Pharisees who upheld the
Facebook likes? place of communicating deeply law of ‘thou shalt not work on the
with the heart or the passion Sabbath day’, and that’s exactly
I do dislike the idea of compassion of a person. Meaning, for me, what He did. He didn’t just see the
being seen as some form of pity or compassion is simply passionate 38 year need of the man, but the
sympathy towards someone. The communication. It goes beyond eternal need of those who thought
point at which it becomes a pity just a pitiful response to the pitiful obeying the law was meant to
thing really makes the receiver circumstances a person is going continue even after He, the Lord of
of such acts of compassion feel through, to a more enduring and the Sabbath, had arrived. Another
less of themselves and the giver accurate response to real things. example is Jesus at the well with
big headed and ignorant of what Let me put it this way. Most people the Samaritan woman. Jesus
70 HEALING - RESTORING - REBIRTHING - AFRICA