A new blogger I follow wrote an excellent post about empathy yesterday. The blogger is alwaysajesusgirl.wordpress.com and her post is- Feeling Your Heartbreak. She writes about empathy being a gift.
I agree with her so much. To feel what Jesus feels is a gift that helps us grow closer to Jesus. I often think of Matthew 9 in the bible when Jesus was with the crowds:
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
Jesus saw them and had compassion. In the crowds would have been all kinds of people who had all kinds of sin in their lives and people who had been victimized in various ways.
What is our reaction when we meet someone different than we are or someone who lives a lifestyle that is different? Do we judge? Or do we pray and befriend?
I meet people from all over the world who come to my city as refugees. I have heard stories from them that are overwhelmingly tragic. Their beliefs are often vastly different than mine. But God has blessed me to show them the love of Jesus and befriend them.
Compassion and empathy are sorely needed in these days that we live in. They will be needed even more in the coming years.
Once a long time ago, I prayed a prayer that can be dangerous if someone is a self-centered person. I asked Jesus to help me feel for others what he feels. He answered by bringing people into my life with stories that just plain break one’s heart.
If you are willing to ask Jesus that, be ready to meet people who need compassion and empathy.
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
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