Invigorating A Compassion-Fatigued Culture

Today, we live in a world with people who need help. There are so many cries for help in the media and elsewhere that it is easy for people to become "Compassion Fatigued." On one side, we have a small army of people who are serving others to the point of exhaustion. Conversely, we have people who could serve people in need but are too busy, indifferent, or have checked out because of compassion fatigue.   

Here’s a story to start with. The story has been around for a while, but knowing a story and applying its lesson are two different things.

This story is about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job, and Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

We live in a world of specialists. In some respects, this is great. We all appreciate someone who specializes in a specific area, especially if we need what they specialize in. But everybody saying or thinking, “That’s not my department,” to a simple job that anyone could have done is something else. 

I remember once, in the church I lead, I was escorting a famous guest speaker through our sanctuary. It was the speaker's first time at our church, and I wanted him to be familiar with the inside of our church. As we walked through the sanctuary to a meeting, I noticed several chairs out of place. I asked one of our deacons to put the chairs back in place. The deacon replied, "That's not my department; it’s not my calling; it’s not my measure of grace.” I thought to myself, “Houston, we have a problem.”

Almost anybody could have put the chairs back into place, but nobody did. Why? That's not my department. A servant leader will go where many specialists, professionals, politicians, academics, and theologians won't. Many people look for a way out of serving others in a real and tangible way. I suggest looking for a way to serve others in a real and tangible way, not just academically or philosophically. Maybe we should not be impressed by money, followers, degrees, and titles. We should be impressed by kindness, humility, integrity, and generosity. Do good with intention, not for attention.       

Look at Jesus in the Bible. There wasn’t anything beyond Jesus’ measure of grace. Jesus valued people. He showed it, and he lived it. Jesus took time for people in need and things others should have done. He made time for the children. Jesus stopped and talked to the woman at the well when you didn't do that. He stopped his journey to heal a Roman Centurion's servant. Unheard of, yet He did it. Why? He only did what His Father told him to do. In doing this, Jesus shows us what God is like. God loves everyone. Everybody is somebody with God. We are all God’s children, and “God ‘don’t’ make no junk.”

You see, “…we (can) love because He (Jesus and God) first loved us.” 1 John 4:19. This was when everyone was saying to everyone else, "If you love me, I will love you." But others said, "No, if you love me first, I will love you." It had gone on for centuries. Finally, Jesus stopped the back-and-forth ping pong game. Jesus looked for a way in and said, “I love you. Now you can love Me and others.” He is a ‘Solutionary,’ not a Solitary. He stopped the ‘If you, then I’ stuff. He found a need and met it.

Here are some final thoughts on stopping the cycle of Everybody blaming Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done. To the world, you might be one person, but to one person, you might be the world. The more I look at things, the more I believe the willingness to start is the littlest thing in life that makes the biggest difference. Step onto the field. Stand up in the meeting. Raise your hand in class. Get over the bar. Walk up to the podium. Ask the first question. Take a risk, get started, and contribute something.

Most of the time, your value is less important than pushing yourself to provide it. Having the courage to start is more important than succeeding because the people who consistently get started are the only ones who can finish anything. We could say it the way this author did. “A great place to find a helping hand is at the end of your arm.”

How would you like to invigorate both the people in need and those who serve them? How? By shaking off your compassion fatigue and getting involved in meeting the needs of people and the community. The existing armies of compassion need more caring people to join the ranks. 

Robert Ingersoll says, “We rise by lifting others.”