Disability of the Heart

We hear a lot of talk about many different kinds of disabilities: Physical disabilities people are born with or that result from an accident, developmental disabilities that can have a mental and/or physical impact from birth or early childhood, and a variety of mental illnesses that can render a person unable to function as expected in mainstream society. But one thing we don't hear much about is disability of the heart.

Disability of the heart, or DOH, is that disability so many unfortunate people have that keeps them from caring about their fellow human beings. It makes them care only about themselves, their status in society and having a good time. It is a very serious disability, and I think it's about time we focus on it more, because it actually has a greater negative impact on the world than all the other disabilities put together ever could.

A person who has DOH may appear to be normal. They may be very successful financially, have great careers, beautiful homes, relationships and families. They may be very popular and widely admired for their accomplishments. They may even be regular church attendees who think of themselves as Christian! It is only upon closer inspection or in hindsight that people realize something very important is missing in them: Concern for their fellow human beings.

People with DOH can be found at all levels of society, but they tend to be fond of positions of power, prestige and influence, so they can often be found in leadership positions in places such as government or municipal or school district offices as elected or appointed officials or supervisors. And it's not unusual to find the 'fox in the henhouse', so to speak, where ironically the person with DOH is actually placed in charge of vulnerable populations.

People with DOH have even been famous world leaders. Sometimes it's not until they start killing masses of 'imperfect' or 'undesirable' people and burying them in piles in big holes in the ground that other people perceive their DOH. This is unacceptable. We need to get better at detecting this problem early and giving these people help overcoming their disability, because when it is unchecked and taken to its extremes it becomes a much bigger problem.

There are many ways we can identify people with DOH, and one of the easiest is their treatment of those who live with other types of disabilities. Maybe by something they do, such as cutting program budgets for people with disabilities in their workplace, church or government. Perhaps they take steps to exclude people with disabilities from their school, workplace or church. Perhaps they simply choose to harm where they could help, or withhold needed assistance where they could opt to provide it if they wished. Sometimes you can identify them by things they say. For example, if you ever hear people talking about how those with disabilities are a burden on society, and they never should have been allowed to live or should be put out of their misery, just know that you are hearing folks who have DOH and need intervention.

In fact, we need to create an early intervention program for people with DOH, the same as we do for other disabilities. We need to catch them while they are young, and set them on the right path. The first time one of them bullies people with other disabilities or tries to exclude them from activities, we should write up an Individual Education Plan for them and get them on the road to understanding - at least, as much as is possible for them. And, of course, by identifying these folks we will ensure that the rest of us will know we need to make allowances for their disability.

We need to develop special educational programming for people with DOH, such as Empathy Training Programs and the Science of Altruism. The program should include volunteer service in hospitals, schools and other institutions that serve those with disabilities so that they can witness the complex challenges these folks face, and hopefully realize their commonalities and learn to appreciate them as human beings. Those elements that are missing in their makeup need to be deliberately trained into these students. It is only in this way that they have a chance of becoming fully functional participants in our society - at least in a way that is good for society as a whole.

When they complete school we can evaluate the DOH students and determine if their education has helped them overcome their disability sufficiently to function constructively in society. The higher functioning DOH students may be able to function fairly well independently in a number of capacities. However, DOH is a disability, and not every person who has it will succeed at overcoming it to any great degree. For those who cannot, an appropriate job placement in a properly supervised work environment can minimize any negative impact on others in society.

In all we do, we need to remember that DOH is a disability, and we must treat those who have this disability with compassion - guide them, care for them, and above all, pray for them. It's not their fault they have this disability, and we shouldn't blame or berate them for it. We must include them in our churches and offer them spiritual training to try to help them develop empathy.

But one thing for certain, putting someone with DOH in positions of power or leadership is a dangerous thing. We must be very careful because the consequences of making a mistake can be grave. They could hurt themselves or others; most likely both. We must never forget that they are missing that basic fundamental trait that is essential in a good and effective leader - Compassion.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, 

forgiving each other, 

just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32