There is great need in the world today. If you find yourself feeling apathetic, wanting to grow your compassion, or not knowing where to start, read on.
In the book Cultivating a Love for God’s Word, Michael Kelley references Matthew 6:21 as he explains:
When Jesus tells us, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” it can be read as an action point. Here we find what to do with our apathy. Let’s look at it through the lens of an example.
Let’s say you have a neighbor that is difficult to be around. He’s reclusive, stoic, and unfriendly to you and your family. And you feel very apathetic toward him. In fact, you wish he would just move. But you know you shouldn’t feel that way. You know you should feel compassion and love and generosity toward him. So what do you do with your apathy?
You invest some resources in that relationship, because your heart will follow your investment. When you give yourself to something, you will begin to care about it. So you invest some time in purposefully trying to have a conversation when you’re both outside. You invest some sweat in offering to help him cut his grass or trim his bushes. You invest some emotion by inviting him over for a BBQ. And slowly, you find that where your treasure is, your heart is beginning to be also.
If you want to grow your compassion, try investing some of yourself in a relationship or cause that you believe should be important to you but maybe isn’t quite yet, and let your heart follow.
