The Compassionate Heart

by Christine Smith

Most people like to think of themselves as caring,compassionate people. They may give money and time to charities, their church, and to their family and friends. These are all good outlets for our goodwill, but the person with a compassionate heart doesn't stop there. A compassionate heart will try to show love every day--in every moment--and to all living creatures.

Helping is often not something we really think about, but is the instinctive response of an open heart. Your neighbor needs help starting his car and you help. Your brother needs to borrow a little money and you help. But just as important as the help provided, is the attitude in which it is given. How do we really feel about helping others? Do we sometimes give half-heartedly, begrudgingly, or with an ulterior motive? The resistance to be generous often underlies helping; much giving is done for less than altruistic reasons.

The compassionate heart will give cheerfully. The love is not limited to those like itself. Love will be expressed not just to those in its immediate circle, but to all. But how, you may ask, do we achieve a compassionate heart? Are some people just natural inclined to be compassionate? No. It is a choice each of us makes every day.

This choice isn't an easy one. It takes commitment. Even within the compassionate heart, there is a constant struggle between self-sacrifice and self-protectiveness, light and darkness, love and hate. We are presented opportunities each day to choose which path we will take.

The most dangerous obstacle to a compassionate heart is self-righteousness. If it finds even a small place in your heart, you will unknowingly drive others away. To have a compassionate heart, it will take strength to fight the self-righteousness which can get in the way.

For example, only with a compassionate heart will you look beyond race, sex, religion, or economic status. It enables you not just to see a stranger, a mental patient, or an alcoholic; but to see your brother or sister in need. But self-righteousness can blind you to understanding fully the unity of mankind. It can lead you to take actions which are motivated by anger or hatred.

Cultivating the personal strength to fight self righteousness takes courage. Making the choice to open our hearts and quiet our minds enables us to see through outward appearances.

Needless to say, even a compassionate heart fights itself in conflicts. Anybody who fights hard for what is right will make enemies. However, the compassionate heart allows us to remember that even in battles, both enemy and friend are alike. Though we may have profound differences, we share the common bond of humanity. We are all members of the human family.

In choosing love, we experience unity, suffering is eased, and all are nourished. "Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast everything. Love never fails." (1 Corinthians 13:7-8) Choosing a compassionate heart means choosing to truly love.

The original essay was published in 1992, and was edited to the above version in 2002.