If we have been touched with compassion, forgiveness, and acceptance in our own poverty it effects how we look at people affected by poverty, loneliness, abandonment, sickness, and deprived of the basics of life. A person who has experienced the loss of a loved one can easily grieve with another who recently lost a loved one more than another who has never experienced a death of a friend, family or relative. It is only our own self righteousness and exterior religiosity that influences us to forget the poverty of spirit that we came out of and therefore hardens us to the needs of those less fortunate or those hurting around us. Unfortunately a "Christian religious attitude" can actually hurt our worldview towards the poor and hurting just as a right Christian attitude can motivate us to accept those around us that are misplaced in society.Madras we have found few Christians who have a burden and concern for these people. If Jesus truly loves people then He must love even those who are mentally retarded, those dying of AIDS or the street kids whom society in general rejects. Our love for Jesus will be shown by our love to the despised even though these despised are not potential church growth or church planting possibilities. The AIDS patient who comes to Christ will soon die just as the street child is not much of an asset to the life of the church but more of a financial burden. However it is just those people that need a demonstration of the love of Christ and will produce a viable witness in our cities of the difference of the Christian world view. The worldview of the Christian is seen through the grid of compassion.

 

 The government has not always been keen to turn to the church for help at least here in the field of service where I am. Is this because we as the church don't have much to offer that effects the problems of those who suffer whom the government does not know what to do with? Our worldview must include transformation of our communities which comes as a response to God in service for people out of a compassion that demonstrates practical and spiritual solutions to those caught in suffering.