In Theory:

We pray and ask God for guidance, and then we give in a way to make the maximum impact of glory to him and good to others. This also helps us understand that we cannot do everything, or help every cause, but we can do some good things in the areas to which God directs us. We can then trust that God will raise up help for areas where we’re not able to assist.

PASTOR JON BARTA

Valley Baptist Church in Burbank

There is always the tendency, even in compassionate people, to be overwhelmed by all the injustice and suffering in the world, even before we had local disasters (brush fires) or international calamities (tsunamis).

I personally get quite a bit of mail at home asking for money to save the children, save the whales, save the abused animals, save the planet, save the wild rivers, save the gorillas from poachers in Africa. And the list goes on.

Most of these appeals are valid, and every case is a “good cause.” However, I have realized that I am not able to give to all the worthwhile causes out there (oh, save the horses from BLM slaughter, and save the farm animals who are confined to their cages their whole lives). I do not mention these “save the fill-in-the-blank” causes in jest; it’s simply that there are so many that I realized that I have to pick and choose which of them I’ll support.

So there will always be more need than we can solve; even Jesus said we will always have the poor with us, and so far he has been right. You and I are called to be faithful and compassionate; we are not necessarily called to be successful in our efforts to care for the sick, the dying, the hungry and the homeless.

So what keeps me from “compassion fatigue” is the notion that in the dark I can at least light a candle, and if I help one person or one cause, that’s better than no person or no cause.

PASTOR CLIFFORD L. “SKIP” LINDEMAN

La Cañada Congregational Church