hey all!

Here's a mini re-cap of this week's LG about compassion... which resulted from the previous Encounter meeting looking at justice and loving people

Thinking about Compassion triggers some thoughts like
- 3rd world countries
- sympathy/empathy
- pity
- mercy

In Greek it means splagchnizomai! ---- bowels yearning! ^^ ..sounds messy =P

Dictionary.com says it means:
a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

I read into some resources about compassion and here's what it said about how it was modeled by Jesus:
Luke 10:33-34, Matt 15:32 : compassion involves action… its practical…desires to meet people’s needs
Mark 1:41 : touching the untouchable, like Jesus did, and having a servant heart

Some interesting points were raised
- can compassion be insincere? ---- its really a state of the heart, and God will see true compassion.. although works done in the name of compassion may still be motivated by other things eg. selfish ambition...
- is the compassion that a Christian may feel differ to a non christian? ---- what do you guys think? Compassion arising from injustice would be common to both... but a Christian may also feel compassion on those that other people may not, out of an overflow of love for their God and God's people..and in seeing others the way Jesus would see them
remember the diagram by Nathan Robinson:
know God -> know his love, grace and mercy -> Love God -> Love People

I rkn Josh said something cool -- compassion is Selfless

So this week --- let's be mindful of opportunities where we can show compassion to others! Think of one particular person whom you know may be in need--- it might involve going out of your way to do something for them
Like how the bible says, forgive as you have been forgiven.... be compassionate people, because God has shown compassion on you =)
OHH and i forgot to bring it up last meeting... but this mid-sem break- how would you all feel about volunteering with an organisation where we can help those in need? Janice has some idea about where we could go--- our goodwill ambassador!

and announcements that i always forget:
Sept 19 - THE BALL---- $65!! we need to organise transport.. Michael and Robbie-can still change your minds ^^
Oct 1 - YA baptisms--- anyone thinking about getting baptised?
Oct 5 - Will Graham--- Billy Graham's grandson is speaking on sunday at church

anyways, splagchnizomai! =)

hey,josh yea it's always unfortunate when a misunderstanding arises and something comes between friends- the resulting friction and tension can be so awkward- and i agree dave, sometimes it can be avoided..sometimes not, friends don't see eye-eye all the time (Lisa McInnes Smith at church last weekend said when this couple said that they never argue- it meant they never talk..hmmm)
regardless, how one responds after that is most important...who makes the first move to resolution? who will be the peacemaker? friction can help friends understand each other better- when both are willing to hear the other out...

hehe- josh, i rmbr.. you were busy finishing scrabble that night! ^^

what do u the rest of you think? i would'v posted this as a comment.. i tried, but i'v totally forgotten my login =S

~ant

btw, here are the sweeet toys we got from kmart!
(from left: elephant, monkeee, lennod and tigeee)

I was talking to a few friends earlier today, and one thing I found particularly strange, if not strange, then unfortunate. One of my friends had apparently made a biased and hurtful blog entry recently. This isn't all that out of the ordinary as people do this all the time. One or two of my friends however took high offense from the single post. The original friend seemed to have to post another time to apologise.
It's rather unfortunate when people allow such things to come between them. I wrote something similar a couple of years ago, and my best friend took offense. I seem to keep trying to apologise, but I think the meaning has been lost now.
'Intentions' is a word which seems to come up a whole lot. When I was a little kid, I don't recall it being used anywhere near as much. I'm not sure if it's the world that's changed, or whether it's a part of growing up, but people have a nature to justify all actions, and the world's taken the overall view that intentions are far more important than results in interpersonal affairs. Interestingly enough, the behaviour of the overall population has not reflected this, as is apparent even in the daily life. The media and the culture of the day, the behaviour and lives of many people I know are driven by consumerism and 'what they can get out of things' and getting kicks. Maybe this post belongs in the lifegroup blog.

Josh~

ps. What do people think about friction between peers? Is it inevitable or avoidable/able to be used for good?

pps. It would appear I've been incriminated in the first post here. I was not paying any attention whatsoever when they made this blog. Sorry.