Christian Living

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Larry Lilly’s Letter Thursday March 16, 2006

I never know just where I will an idea for to share with you through this week letter. Each idea I share with you has in someway touched me that is why I develop it and send it on.

A young preacher friend, Paul Beatty a pastor in Flatwoods, WVA spewed forth a real gem the other morning.

“We are experiencing Compassion Fatigue.”

Paul then told of all the appeals related to starving children, Katrina victims and the pain and heartache in our own backyards.

Paul told of getting a call informing him that a man whom he did not know was going to commit suicide. Paul went to the place and found three other men in the little home, all drunk as minstrels in the dark ages. In the course of talking with the suicidal drunk, he found the man was having a pity party royal. Paul took the man home with him and brought the kids in the bedroom with he and his wife and let the drunk sleep it off one of the children’s room. The next morning Paul and his family gathered around the breakfast table and invited the man to eat with them. He, as many a drunk the morning after was in no condition to eat, or even get to close to the smell of a good old West Virginia breakfast. He did take note of Paul, the wife and the children each saying a prayer, singing a few choruses, and having really good time saying memorized verses and assigning verses for the next morning.

As Paul drove the man back to the house where he picked him up, the man said, “You know I wish I could have a family like yours.” Paul assured him that he could have very good family by first of all getting things straightened out with Christ and then making hard and fast choices to have a true Christian family.

Normally the story would now state how the drunk followed Paul’s advice and lived happily ever after. Life is not always like a good story.

Paul said that he, as do many pastors fights off Compassion Fatigue because you just get tired of pouring your life into others, and Zero, nothing.

But Paul said, “My compassion came rushing back when I grasped what God is doing in my life and the life of our family. I did not do the suicidal drunk any good, but the extended compassion in retrospect does me a world of good.”

Experiencing Compassion Fatigue? Give some out anyhow. You will be glad you did.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2006 Use with credit.

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