About People Being Worse Off Than You

A man was complaining about not having any shoes and then someone pointed to someone who didn’t have any feet.

The sentiment is understood. Don’t complain, there is always someone in worse condition that you.

Aspects of the thinking are more than in order. Before we complain about anything, it is a good practice to look at reasons to be thankful.

The problem is, however, suggesting that there are people in a worse condition than me can also suggest that my condition isn’t bad – or not worthy of acknowledging. The problem is to relegate my situation because of the condition of another person may not address my situation. It not only diminishes the situation unnecessarily, it also diminishes me.

A considerate approach would wish to address the situation in the context of the person engaging in the situation. This is how they are feeling at the time – what can be done to engage with that person in that situation to show empathy? Perhaps when that happens, then there is ground to consider if alternative perspectives can be of help.

Those perspectives are informed, however, by the desire to be with the person in their situation. It is to feel what it’s like to need shoes when you have none. It is to feel that and address that from there in the trust that at the very least the situation and the person are respected.

Thankfully the heart of service from the great servant was all about meeting people at their point of need. Meeting them there and working from there.

It’s a worthwhile lesson to consider.

(Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash)

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden