Inner Strength -15
I was always impressed by the work of Christian missionaries but only in the matters of compassion. When I was in England I saw some missionaries going out at night carrying food for the downtrodden vagabonds, prostitutes and drug addicts. There is nobody to take care of these people, many go without food because they have no money, and the drug addicts after stealing or robbing always spend on drugs only. Showing compassion to these out -caste of society and bringing them food one really needs big heart. We usually tend to shut our eyes without realising that such people have come to that status because they are extremely weak and cannot fight back to recover on their own. In our society we have many such out-castes roaming in the bazaars, mad from depression, elderly left by their children to die on roads. Instead of sparing a glance at them we simply carry on and generalise a category of beggars for them. We don't feel that kind of compassion to reach them and help them. Very few amongst us like Bhai Puran Singh have that compassion to do something for these out-castes of society. Guru Nanak in his youth when asked do some work by his father and was given money. He spent all the money on wandering Sadhus because he was compelled by his compassion for these hungry people. Some say compassion is born in you but compassion can be developed also by looking for needy people. We need to make a part of our nature.
There is one more thing missing in Sikhs in the matter of compassion that is when we are in distress, loss and lack of company and care we have no religious person or place that can share and sympathise with us and guide us to do right things. We have congregations or jod -melas but in that crowd all we do is simran and if a person is really distressed he is uncomfortable all the time and cannot enjoy the congregation. A personal touch, words of sympathy or just listening to somebodies problems does help.
I was always impressed by the work of Christian missionaries but only in the matters of compassion. When I was in England I saw some missionaries going out at night carrying food for the downtrodden vagabonds, prostitutes and drug addicts. There is nobody to take care of these people, many go without food because they have no money, and the drug addicts after stealing or robbing always spend on drugs only. Showing compassion to these out -caste of society and bringing them food one really needs big heart. We usually tend to shut our eyes without realising that such people have come to that status because they are extremely weak and cannot fight back to recover on their own. In our society we have many such out-castes roaming in the bazaars, mad from depression, elderly left by their children to die on roads. Instead of sparing a glance at them we simply carry on and generalise a category of beggars for them. We don't feel that kind of compassion to reach them and help them. Very few amongst us like Bhai Puran Singh have that compassion to do something for these out-castes of society. Guru Nanak in his youth when asked do some work by his father and was given money. He spent all the money on wandering Sadhus because he was compelled by his compassion for these hungry people. Some say compassion is born in you but compassion can be developed also by looking for needy people. We need to make a part of our nature.
There is one more thing missing in Sikhs in the matter of compassion that is when we are in distress, loss and lack of company and care we have no religious person or place that can share and sympathise with us and guide us to do right things. We have congregations or jod -melas but in that crowd all we do is simran and if a person is really distressed he is uncomfortable all the time and cannot enjoy the congregation. A personal touch, words of sympathy or just listening to somebodies problems does help.
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