Increasing Your Compassion Capacity

In our current time, the ability to capture and record massive amounts of information, and to share and transfer that same amount of data, requires the capacity to match. Whether it is memory to save and contain or bandwidth to stream and exchange, the high capacity that everyone seeks (and pays for) produces the capabilities desired.

When it comes to social impact, this relationship holds true: the amount of capacity (to impact) influences the range of capability; and so, determines the level of impact.

As we engage the communal world around, the massive amount of unmet needs are clearly evident. This reality in our physical world will never change. The physically sick and broken, mentally ill and troubled, financially needy and insecure, socially disenfranchised and persecuted, and the spiritually empty and corrupted; all beckon for restorative work to be had. The desire to extend oneself and tend to these needs, striving for restoration, is the only inconsistent piece of this reality. This “desire,” is having compassion; and one’s compassion capacity determines one’s capability to impact the needs around.

So where does increasing this compassion capacity come from?

Frankly, understanding the needs and believing you can make a difference.

Understanding the needs is more than seeing them. This is a manner of connecting (spiritually, emotionally, intellectually) and envisioning self within an active means of restoration.

Believing you can make a difference comes from knowing the inherent designation God has tasked you with: to serve others. It is also knowing that “making a difference” is not complex, and can be as simple as spending intentional time to talk, pray, and connect with someone in need. Just “be with” them. Acknowledgement is a powerfully effective tool that is consistently disregarded due to fear, discomfort, apathy, and other excuses. However, don’t allow acknowledgement to be the stopping point of your engagement if you have the means to extend further.

Get uncomfortable to make a difference.

Combating social apathy has no greater motivation than in the example of Jesus Christ. Christ was steadfast in going from care to action. The vastness of his compassion capacity is exemplified in his imposing social restorative work, which is funded through sacrificial love. His consistent drive to restore was not bound by social constructs or political pressure but was wildly counter-cultural; and thus, forever impactful. Growing in the knowledge of the character and life of Christ, provides the essential fuel to an ever-expanding compassion capacity.

Know Him more, to live more like Him.

Do you understand the needs around you and your ability to make a difference?

What is stunting the growth of your compassion capacity? Let’s get real! Is it: laziness? An “all about me” mentality? A lack of belief in self? Diffusion of responsibility (someone else will do it…)?

Is your knowledge of Christ reflected in your compassion for others?

Realize that the needs out there can be filled if you live a life of abounding compassion.