The headlines this week are nothing short of devastating:

The Delta variant is surging in America.
Nearly 1,300 people just died from an earthquake in Haiti.
Taliban forces have taken Kabul.

In times like these, some want to bury their heads in the sand. Others stay fixated on cable news or Twitter, trying to consume as much of the news as they can. Might there be a better way?

Christi Garretson, a disaster program specialist at the American Red Cross, seems to think so.

“My team and I have the unique opportunity to step directly into those vulnerabilities and extend the love, mercy, and grace of Christ through humanitarian aid,” says Garretson. “Because of my role with the organization, I get to show my city the way that Christ walked alongside the needy, poor, and broken.”

Your calling may not be to humanitarian work, disaster relief, or medical care. But whatever your profession may be, you can take a moment to remember the God of compassion, consider the needs of a hurting world, and give your prayers, time, resources, or expertise to alleviate suffering.

If you take anything from Garretson’s story, let it be this: however large or small, public or private your act of compassion, you are joining with the body of Christ to display God’s love in the world.