Splagehnizomai.

I don’t know how to pronounce this, but I know what it means in English: Compassion.

“Anything helps, even a smile…”

Recently I was stopped at a stoplight and noticed a homeless woman carrying this sign.  How burdened I suddenly was.  I had no money to give, but I did have the ability to treat her as a fellow human-being and brighten up her day, with a smile.

When I did Love Bags the last half of my junior year, God altered my perspective.  Yes, there were some scary moments and I did meet some people who had rough lives, but I now see that they just want someone to talk to them, to love the unlovely, to pray for broken lives.  I saw the Holy Spirit work so much as we shared God’s word with them.  It was a wonderful chance for us to point them to the one who has transformed our lives- Jesus.  He can transform theirs too. 

A few Saturday mornings out sharing with the homeless puts everything in perspective.  It also gives us the chance to live out the compassion we feel. 

I miss this. 

I really hope I can go again soon after Thanksgiving…

Isaiah 61:1-3-  “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives; and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”