Jesusluvsall's Blog

Yesterday morning I had a moment to share with one of my students with the help of a translator. My student is a single mom from Burma. She has three children and is also the primary caregiver for her mentally challenged sister. She came as a refugee to my city three years ago from a refugee camp in Thailand.

It isn’t hard to think about how she feels. She came from the camp, a place of just basic survival, where she lived for about twenty years to one of the most advanced countries in the world. She has a lot of responsibility on her shoulders. She still has memories of fleeing through the jungle to the camp in Thailand because the government troops were killing her people. It is completely understandable that she is struggling with anxiety and panic attacks.

Yesterday was one of those moments I was grateful I have had problems with autoimmune that caused me to have depression and anxiety because I was able to share with that I understand how she feels. I explained grounding for her which is a technique that can help when anxiety is overwhelming. I also had her repeat with me, “My teacher understands how I feel.” She will see a doctor next week and get some help.

When we meet someone who is struggling in life, is our reaction the reaction Jesus had in Matthew 9?

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Jesus saw the people and their need for him, his love, his grace, and his help. He was filled with great compassion for them. He is still filled with great compassion for all of us. He wants to show that compassion through us to bless others as it says in 2nd Corinthians 1:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

God does not comfort us for us to selfishly go on about our lives. He wants us to turn around and share that with others who suffer.

Each morning as I start my day, I think about and pray for my students. I know their struggles and obstacles in life. My hope is to show them the compassion of Jesus.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.