Compassion Fatigue
How Long Can Generosity Be Sustained?by Jack Voelkel
Who can forget the headlines?
Tsunami, Katrina, Rita, Stan (causing “incredible destruction” in Central America), and the recent Pakistan earthquake (the “worst disaster in our history,” said President Musharraf). Just mention any of these disasters, and heart-wrenching scenes return to our minds, evoking a wave of compassion and a flood of emotions. Reporters - articulate, creative, and hard working - continually move across the globe to bring us all the details, to enable us to see, hear, and feel the devastation.
The Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and a host of other agencies have rushed in to provide aid to the victims in our country while other organizations (such as World Vision) and governments around the world do their best to provide aid overseas.
Each non-profit reaches out through e-mails, television, radio, and phone to ask for donations. Many of us respond with financial contributions, donated goods, a visit to the site or even and by opening our homes. Mary Mays of Richmond, Texas received 44 relatives (spanning four generations) in her home. Asked how she was managing, she replied, “Very carefully!”1
The big question, however, is “How long can (or will) this generous spirit be sustained?” The media moves from one crisis to another until each is no longer “newsworthy.” When was the last time you or I thought of the tsunami victims? Our hearts are touched by each disaster, but as one follows on the heels of another, compassion fatigue sets in. We can’t respond to them all. We don’t want to become jaded to human suffering, so what should we do?
In the Gospels, we see Jesus being moved with compassion for suffering of all kinds: physical, emotional, and spiritual. He healed the sick, cared for the suffering, and showed no racial or social bias. He applauded the Good Samaritan who not only provided emergency treatment for the mugged traveler, but saw him through to the end. As for Jesus Himself, John informs us that “He loved [His disciples] to the last and to the highest degree.”2 He told them He would never leave nor forsake them, and to them (as to us) He gave the greatest gift of all, his very life.
The Apostles founded a church based on Jesus’ example. Luke tells us in Acts 4:34 that due to the generosity of the believers “There were no needy persons among them.” Paul encouraged the Galatians (6:9, 10) “as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people” adding, “Let us not become weary in doing good.”
How can we live out these principles today, as we face the increasing avalanche of crushing needs all around us? Here are a few of my thoughts to which you can add more of your own.
Focus on just one place of need. Research it, pray about it, and ask the Lord what you can and should do in a concrete way.
Review some key websites to find out what is being done and what is still needed: Red Cross, Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision, Salvation Army, Food for the Hungry, etc.
Strategic Teams is attempting to be the “glue” that connects all the efforts of hundreds of organizations and ministries involved in the hurricane relief with multiple churches in the disaster area. They send out an occasional newsletter listing service opportunities. All of these agencies need financial help.
Collaborate with your church’s efforts. Blackhawk Evangelical Free Church in Madison, WI, for example, recently assigned one of their ministers (whom they affectionately call their “Disaster Pastor”) to dedicate 20% of his time in the area of relief, including discipling members of the congregation to help the poor. They are partnering with a few well-respected organizations, including their own denominational relief program. From October through December, and probably into 2006, they plan to send teams of up to 15 volunteers each month to the Gulf Coast to help with hurricane cleanup and rebuilding.
Participate in on-going and permanent needs, such as housing. Habitat for Humanity is already helping those who lost their homes (and who very possibly did not have adequate insurance) to reconstruct their homes, involving the future owners in the experience. Check out Adventures in Mission. They take young people on short-term work trips to needy places.
Take a personal interest in evacuees that are within your community. Get to know them, listen to their stories, share the gift of personal friendship, look for ways to serve them, and offer to pray for them.
During your regular devotional time, intercede for your focus area. Pray not only for relief and rebuilding, but that through these experiences the Lord may reach hearts with the Good News of the Gospel through His people who serve with love.
Pastor Ed Young, of the 42,000 Second Baptist Church of Houston has said that his church is starting Operation Compassion. He has pledged to raise $1 million for the relief efforts, and has offered his church facilities for the training of relief workers. He has asked members of the Christian community in Houston to band together in a united effort.
He knew that some of the needy would, with just a little help, bounce back quickly….But some, with deep physical or psychological maladies, would never be able to fully take care of themselves…And then there were others still, people perfectly capable of bouncing back, or taking care of themselves, but who instead had chosen a lifestyle of dependency and complaint. The last group is nothing but trouble for ministries far and wide. And yet Young realized that all these people needed the compassion of Christ showered on them—even those who, like the nine lepers Jesus healed (Luke 17), would remain forever ungrateful.
So Young said the most profoundly Christian thing he could say: “We’re in this thing for the long haul.”3
This is the spirit that the Lord wants to develop in all of us: to find our place of service and see it through to the end—just like Jesus would.
Jack Voelkel
Tucson, AZ
1. Later on, a developer who heard of this family’s plight, offered
several homes for them, giving them free rent for a year!
2. Amplified version, citing Church Father John Crysostom.
3. “Parable of the Good Church.” Christianity Today, October 2005,
p.
30, emphasis mine.
Unless otherwise noted, all materials on the urbana.org web site are Copyright InterVarsity Christian Fellowship / USA. All rights reserved.
Print
Email
Comments
Be the first one to add a comment.
To post a comment, please login or register