No Spray-Can Compassion!

A student asked anthropologist Margaret Mead what was the earliest sign of civilization in a given culture. He expected the answer to be a clay pot or perhaps a fish hook or grinding stone.

Her answer was: “A healed femur.”

Mead explained that no mended bones are found where the law of the jungle — survival of the fittest — reigns supreme. A healed femur shows that someone cared. Someone had to do that injured person’s hunting and gathering until the leg healed. The evidence of compassion is the first sign of civilization.

In no uncertain terms the Gospels inform us, over and over again that Jesus Christ was a Man of compassion. And this evidence of compassion is the clearest call to our chief responsibility as a community of believers.

A newspaper ad touted the benefits for a new product called, of all things — COMPASSION:

“Nothing stops pain like a touch of ‘Compassion.’ Sunburn misery? In ten seconds instant ‘Compassion’ stops…