Did We Become Soft In Our Move To Be More Compassionate?

Something that keeps coming up lately in various forms is compassion... alongside empathy, tolerance, and so many other similar concepts.

But here's the thing...

You can be intolerant without being a jerk.

You can have compassion without supporting or enabling bad things.

You can speak the truth yes, but also choose how you speak based on your audience.

• Speaking to a crowd, speak boldly
• Speaking to a person, be understanding

As a person who grew up watching the church from the outside in the New England area. I watched American Christians for decades failing in their communication, while speaking clearly. Especially when speaking to a person, not a crowd of people.

There is a nuance in how Jesus spoke that seems to be lost on many Christians today. The nuance of speaking to a crowd in one way, in a general theological way. And speaking into someone’s eyes, in a more understanding way.

You see when there’s already a relationship of some kind. Whether family or friend, you can speak into someone's eyes and heart.

But with people you don't know, or people you are only acquaintances with you have to measure your words differently. Because that person has not given you permission or the right to speak to them in certain ways.

I will say that again.

If you don't have a relationship with someone, you do not have the right to speak to them in any way you want. Jesus did not give you the commission to hammer people's faces with the gospel. He gives you and me the commission to go out into the world and speak, speak to those who have ears to hear!

We seem to have forgotten that last part. The "those who have ears to hear". You know. The people who want to listen. The people who have questions. The people who the Lord is stirring in their hearts.

Because there are people, millions of people who do not have ears to hear. And if you don't have any relationship with them, and you try to speak personally 1-to-1 with them, they won't listen to you! Just like you don't listen to people yourself!

However if that person came to you with questions, then you are absolutely free to speak into them! Because they came to you, they brought it up in some way. They are giving you permission at that point. Even if they don't like the answer you give them, they were at least asking for your input. Which is completely different than you just blasting someone with theology without them asking.

Now when we are speaking to someone who we do have a relationship with. We still need to ask ourselves these questions. Since we are not Jesus.

Have I earned the right to speak to this person, on this topic, in this way?

And then ask yourself this as well:

Is this the right time to talk about it, or should I wait?

Reason being just because you’re a Christian, commissioned with the gospel, does not mean the answer is automatically "yes" or "now" to those questions. In fact assuming the answer is yes, just because you’re a Christian is vile. You are not Jesus, you are a servant of Jesus. Which means you are not perfect, and your ability to speak is not perfect.

Basic communication will teach you (and the Bible for that matter) topic and timing matter. A lot.

They might not be ready today but they could be tomorrow!

More often than not, it's time to wait until the Lord gives you the go ahead. The Lord might be preparing you for the conversation in advance. Instead of just having the conversation happen today.

Topic and Timing matter.

And timing is not always "today", even if you think it's for "today".

Pray for the words, and pray for the timing to speak the words.

We are servants of Jesus, we are not Jesus.