Compassion

Photo credit: Recompose via Photopin CC

I wonder what your reaction was when you first heard the story of how a Singaporean mother cut off the finger of her son with a knife because he was playing with it or the mother who super-glued her 2 year old daughter's hand to the wall because she was disobedient?

Perhaps you gasped in amazement. Perhaps you were aghast. "How could a mother do such a thing to her own child?!" you thought. I know.. because I did too.

That's not surprising. But what surprises people is my next reaction, which is often to sigh and remark, "I can totally empathize with her!"

Don't get me wrong, I do not condone the action. But I can understand the feelings that led to their over-reacting behaviour.

When I was a new mother with a screaming baby at 3am in the morning, I'd admit that very dark thoughts often crossed my mind. Thoughts that if I were ever to share it, will probably disqualify me as a mother and mobilise the Child Protection Services. It's amazing how the stress of being thrown into a deep sea called parenting coupled with extreme sleep deprivation can take its toll on your mind and body.

Of course the big difference between the mums in the news for mistreatment of their child and ordinary mums like me is that thankfully, I didn't go that far. By the grace of God, I was able to manage my emotions and control myself.

But I can imagine what the stress of raising many children without external resources or help will drive a woman to do.

I now understand what this verse truly means.

"He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, 

since He Himself is also subject to weakness." 

~~ Hebrews 5:2

*All scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.