As I woke thinking of Tich Hanh, I reflected on calls for compassionate and empathetic living. His examples, especially in the books written with the benefit of maturity, suggest we should see others through their life experiences and journey. Initially I reacted negatively to his call to think compassionately about the pirates or the individuals in our lives who bring so much pain with them. I have come to appreciate that being compassionate, empathetic, and caring is not the same as ignoring their deeds and releasing them from accountability.
My bias is a belief that everyone deserves to be treated with respect, compassion, and care. As easy as it seems to forget, the individual in question is a member belongs to the same family that you and I look to for help. S/he has lived through the peaks and valleys, struggled against the odds, and carries with them the same thirst to be loved and accepted.
In the daily grind, filled with chaos, fear, and uncertainty, I often feel as if I am under attack from outside forces. In some cases, they are unknown. Usually I can name them easily, visualizing their faces and normal routines. As I consider my responses, I find more often than now that, “hemmed in by barbarians, in God’s name I rubbed their faces in the dirt;” (Psalm 118.10) I am in a battle for survival and everything is secondary to me.
On a dull and drizzling morning, I find myself reflecting on the faces in yesterday’s scene. Each has a story. Each picture has more than one individual who is looking to be accepted and embraced as they are. I can see excerpts of their struggles and hear the anguish in their voices. I sense regret for things underway that they wish were otherwise.
While accountability is important, often it is the primary responsibility of others. It does not lie with me. I am called to care for the sick, feed the hungry, and to comfort and support those hurting and struggling.
We have choices to make, lives to lead.
