On March 8, around 60 women from Grace Baptist Association churches gathered in Guildford to think about being clothed with compassion and so be equipped to care.
With compelling honesty, Ann Benton shared that she thought she was a kind person until she became faced with a difficult caring situation. The wry smiles in the room showed that most people echoed that in their own situation as carers.
Outfit of compassion
Looking at Colossians 3.12-17, those present were reminded that being compassionate has Jesus at its foundation. Since we’ve been raised with Christ we have the victory over sin and we have the ability to please and obey God as we have the key to a new wardrobe containing an outfit of compassion. It is made of kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. It has deep pockets of forgiveness and forbearance, and over the top goes a jacket of love.
The aim of compassion is not to please people, as that is always going to be frustrating at best. But, rather, the aim is theological; it is for God’s glory and pleasure that we are to be compassionate.
Workshops brought about thoughtful discussion around how to care for people and how to care for the carers whatever their particular caring role. One phrase that stood out was recognising that when people are ‘low’ they sometimes say things that should be taken as ‘words for the wind’ and that too much shouldn’t always be read into comments people might make when not at their best. The challenge of knowing when to step back or step in to help was raised and prompted warm and practical discussion.
