What If It Were You? A Lesson on Compassion

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32

Your actions—and even your silence—speak louder than you think!

Back in 2017, I decided to run a little social experiment. I posted “I NEED YOUR HELP” on my WhatsApp status and waited to see who would respond. What happened next left me shocked, amazed, and speechless.

Within just 15 minutes, two people I deeply cared about were the first to see it. But guess what? They didn’t say a word. No message, no “Are you okay?”—nothing. Maybe they assumed I was fine. They just scrolled past and moved on.

And in that moment, I realized how easy it is to be overlooked. I learnt a powerful lesson…

The world has grown colder, and love has faded. In our self-absorption, we often fail to see the broken hearts hidden behind smiles and the weary souls fighting silent battles.

How many times have we scrolled past someone’s unspoken pain?
How often have we assumed someone is fine simply because they appear okay?
How many cries for help have gone unanswered because we weren’t paying attention?

Pause for a moment. Where are you right now? On the train, the bus, or scrolling at home? Look up. Observe the faces around you. Behind many of them are unseen burdens and silent struggles. The person across from you might need nothing more than a kind word or a simple smile.

People suffer in silence because no one notices. No one checks in. No one asks. No one cares enough to act.

But compassion calls us to see beyond the surface, to extend grace before judgment, and to love beyond convenience. Jesus went about doing good—and He calls us to do the same.

We are meant to be His hands, His light, the answer to someone’s silent prayer.

Let’s be the ones who see with love, who reach out instead of retreat, and who bring warmth where the world has grown cold. Let’s choose to be the reason someone feels seen, understood, and supported.

Let’s choose compassion.