The Power of Compassion: Embracing Our Differences

• By candidasullivan
• December 18, 2024
• No Comments

Living with a physical difference has been challenging. But the hardest part for me has not been the challenge of being different but how other people have treated me for being different. The shameful words, looks of disgust, pity, and being treated differently hurt so badly.

While I am a strong woman, I have gained strength from being hurt many times. Think about that for a moment. I have a deep inner strength because I’ve endured so much pain.

Honestly, I don’t even know how to express the deep hurt I feel when other people tell me I’m less than or not good enough. Or when they befriend me simply because they feel sorry for me.

I would never share another word if all of this were just about me or seeking glory for myself.

Even though I wouldn’t remove my scars if I could, I still feel the prick of pain when someone treats me badly. Now, I think it’s a little nudge from God to remind me that we still have work to do.

We still need to learn that:

It’s not okay to say anything about anyone’s body!

It’s not okay to make fun of someone!

Staring, laughing, or teasing someone for being different is not okay!

It’s not okay to make them feel less than!

The Bible tells us that the Lord hates certain things, including a proud look, which I feel is self-righteousness. The opposite of this is humility.

Anytime we try to act better than someone else and superior to them, we just make ourselves look bad. When we try to put someone else down, we reveal our ugliness.

God has blessed me to sit a lot in the trenches. So many people have opened their hearts and shared their pain with me. If you could only see how much damage harmful words and actions can do to another soul, you would be careful with them.

Love heals. It goes beyond the pain and soothes it. Love is one of the greatest gifts God bestows upon us. Every day, we have the opportunity to help people or harm them. And what we decide to do either helps us or harms us.

If we struggle with this, we can ask God to help us. I ask Him all the time to allow my words to be uplifting, inspirational, and loving. And if I can’t say something good, please help me shut my mouth. I NEVER want to be the one to cause another pain.

How someone treats us is up to them, and they must answer for it. How we treat them is up to us, and we have to answer for it.

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