Get Over Yourself. And Cooties.
I’ve had a number of experiences that helped push me to get over myself…
Like serving hot meals to people living on Skid Row in Los Angeles.
Like holding AIDS babies in a government hospital in Swaziland.
Like praying for a couple of prostitutes in drug-infested MacArthur Park—immediately after saying “amen,” one of the prostitutes put her arms around me and gave me a big hug.
In circumstances like these, I had to decide what’s more important—my comfort or real compassion.
To be honest, my brain offers me some less-than-compassionate thoughts, like…
“Ewwwwww!”
“Something smells and I don’t want to get it on me.”
“What about germs, diseases and cooties?”
I’m embarrassed and ashamed that my brain reacts that way. I know that’s not real compassion…
So I get over myself. And cooties.
The issue isn’t really about me or cooties—it’s about hurting, lonely, broken, scarred people.
I love the straight-forward language of this verse:
“Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.” (Philippians 2.3, 4 MSG)
There’s a story in Luke chapter 5 about a man with an “advanced case” of leprosy. He comes to Jesus and begs for healing. Jesus could’ve prayed for the man from a distance—but he didn’t.
He reached out and touched the man.
He touched the leper BEFORE he healed him.
He touched him even though he was unclean and contagious.
There’s a significant take-away here:
When we find ourselves at the crossroads between our comfort and real compassion…
We must get over ourselves. And cooties.
We must choose compassion.
Leave a Reply