Sabbath Devotional :: A Gentle Heart

In thinking about the Church’s Light the World initiative, some recent personal experiences, this week’s GROW on compassion and empathy, and some stories and experiences of others I’ve seen recently, I’ve been struck by just how much good people do for each other. Are there struggles and hardship and moments of darkness? Yes. But there are also so many points of light shining through it. So many selfless acts and kind words and caring hearts that lift and bless and bring the light of Christ into the world.

This past week, Elder Renlund shared a video talking about reopening temples. He said, in reference to proxy work in the temple, “We do for others what they cannot do for themselves.” This principle goes beyond ordinance work for the dead, and extends into so many aspects of our lives. He also talked about something that I think can be a beautiful parallel to the work we do in temples — how we care for the vulnerable and disadvantaged. We are doing for them what they cannot do for themselves. Sometimes that is because they don’t have the temporal means. Sometimes that is because it requires communal effort, such as doing our part to stop the spread of COVID, which Elder Renlund said is “a sign of Christlike love for our brothers and sisters.”

Often it is small acts that really make a big difference. “By small and simple things are great things brought to pass.” (Alma 37:6) A thank you, a smile, a message to a friend, a helping hand, a mask, a small sacrifice, a kind word, a gentle heart.

I’ve been thinking about these words from the hymn Lord, I Would Follow Thee this week:

I would be my brother’s keeper;

I would learn the healer’s art.

To the wounded and the weary

I would show a gentle heart.

I would be my brother’s keeper—

Lord, I would follow thee.

If we are following the Lord (caring for the vulnerable and disadvantaged, the wounded and weary), it starts with showing a gentle heart. We can’t let our hearts get hardened by the difficult times we face, but need to let the Lord soften our hearts so that we can both recognize and share His light. This can be difficult! But one of the things that has helped me has been really looking for the good and the compassion around me. I’ve recently had the opportunity to see complete strangers reaching out to each other with words of kindness and support, and it is such a beautiful and humbling thing to see people showing such selfless love and kindness to someone in a moment of need.

During the First Presidency Christmas Devotional last week, Sister Becky Craven said, “As I watched our daughter-in-law swaddle her new child, I thought of others who might be in need of a swaddle, even a virtual one. A kind word, a listening ear, or an understanding heart can comfort and soothe the troubled soul of another. . . . In a world so much in need of peace, our gentle words, our acts of compassion and kindness can be the means of wrapping another in a warm, swaddling blanket.”

A few months ago I got to see a sweet, spontaneous moment of compassion when my 8 year old crashed on his scooter and my five year old went to comfort him (pictured above). Sometimes we just need someone to put their arm around our shoulders (literally or figuratively) while we cry. Sometimes we can be the one to put our arm (literally or figuratively) around someone’s shoulders to offer support and comfort.

I hope that as we come to the end of a year that has been dark and difficult for many, that we can take a look around us, look for someone who might need a gentle heart, or a swaddling blanket, or an arm around their shoulder, and find some small way to show compassion and Christlike love.