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I.M. Pitied 22 Aug 2021

To be pitied may have some unexpected parallel with self-pity. To be pitied can feel pretty humiliating. Like someone is telling me things like: you are unworthy, unlovable, worthless or 'it is your own fault'. In short it can sound as an ordeal.

Just like self-pity, to be pitied in a negative way needs to be rejected. It is cruel and mean. No-one should be pitied in the form of a rejection.

Compassion

Compassion is like standing with the person in pain. In the bible book 'Job', first Job's friends sat, after his loss, with him quietly. After some time the compassion ended. They began to blame Job. "There must be something wrong with you, which is the reason that you just get what you deserve." Job was rightly indignant.

For being compassionate, I need to refrain from blaming. Even when I assume to know what a hurt person feels, I need to verify if my assumption is correct. To be pitied for a feeling which is not there, is annoying and separating. It is humiliating. Compassion honours the feelings which a person truly has. And because compassion honours, it does not even want to repair or modify those feelings.

Prayer

Father God, please teach me compassion as a part of proper communication.