An article “Atheists More Compassionate than Believers, Study finds” was published on 5/4/2012 and was based on a new study by the University of California, Berkeley. This study found that atheists were more likely to give to a person in need based on compassion where as the religious give out of a communal identity or doctrine.
I shared this on my Facebook Wall and a friend commented: “When I was homeless, it was the ‘Church People’ that gave me dirty looks or tried to preach to me about how my situation was a result of sin in my life. It was the drug addicts, alcoholics and prostitutes that offered me food and compassion and sacrificed so I wouldn’t get sucked into the addictions they had. I was homeless because I aged out of the foster care system and on my last day of high school, my foster mom dropped me off at school with a backpack of what I owned. After school, I had nowhere to go.”
This comment saddened me for two reasons. First of all, that ‘church people’ would be so insensitive in their words and attempts to help. I believe ‘those’ people thought they were doing a good thing in reaching out to the homeless but had not been trained in the power of words and their ability to heal or hurt. If we want to reach out to the homeless and addicted, we need to make sure we are filled with compassion instead of a judgmental attitude. We also need to be sensitive to how we reach out. If that means doing some homework beforehand, then ask questions, read and get advice.
Each time we reach out to others needs to be bathed in prayer beforehand. If God is truly behind every word and action and if our hearts are pure, He will guide our words and open the hearts of those we are trying to reach.
We don't want our attempts at showing compassion to be taken wrongly.
Second, the idea that many children in our foster care system are just lost after a certain age is heartbreaking. However, this calls for a whole other post at another time.
My friend did end her comment with this last statement, “I find the results of this study easy to believe, but the study does not note that just because you claim to be a believer doesn’t mean you are. I know for a fact that true believers in God and followers of Christ do give more, sacrifice more, care more and do more for others than anyone else I have met.”
I think that is a pretty correct statement in regards to this study. Many who say they are Christians are not really followers of Christ. While compassion is something we always need to work on, most true Christians are compassionate.
Reflecting on this, I pray that I may never be to busy or too preoccupied to be moved by compassion into action. I pray the things that break His heart, will break my heart. May my words reflect the compassion of Christ and never a judgmental attitude.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12
Attached photo used from the article noted above.