Rejoice with those who rejoice, and mourn with those who mourn.
Romans 12:15
Empathy, which should not be confused with sympathy, is the ability to recognize and share the emotions of others. Empathy leads us to have compassion for others because we know what it means to suffer. Even if we haven’t experienced the same exact struggle, we’ve all been through painful circumstances. We can certainly relate to and understand the plight of others, and then share the comfort and hope that we’ve received from the Lord.
Why is empathy so important right now? It’s been a stressful time ya’ll and people are not okay. Think about what we’ve been through over the last year – the pandemic including isolations and quarantines; death; fear; no gatherings (weddings, funerals, etc.); job loss; change to remote work; a contentious political landscape; social unrest; and a general lack of connection with others. I’m sure I’ve forgotten a few things but suffice it to say it’s been a challenging time resulting in a definite need for empathy and compassion. According to a recent APA survey, 70% of Americans say this has been the most stressful time of their lives.
Paul encouraged empathy when he told fellow Christians to “rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15). Further, Peter counseled Christians to be ”sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble” (1 Peter 3:8).
Jesus is our best example of empathy. He was born as a human so He could experience every human emotion and empathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15). The Bible is chocked full of stories where Jesus shows empathy and compassion for others. In one example, Jesus saw a widow’s pain as she was about to bury her son. He felt her deep sorrow and, as a result, resurrected her son (Luke 7:11-16).
Want to enhance your ability to be empathetic? Here are a few tips:
- Have some self-empathy – Be kind to and affirm yourself. Try to identify and counteract negative narratives that the enemy has put in your head. Don’t beat yourself up if you make a mistake or have a setback.
- Embrace vulnerability – Own your struggles and mistakes and admit to others that you aren’t perfect. This will encourage others to do the same and they will be more willing to share.
- Actively listen – Give the other person your full attention and focus on attending to the whole message they are communicating. Listen for what they are feeling and what they need. Show your interest and deepen your understanding by asking thoughtful open-ended questions.
- Offer to help – Ask the other person how you can help. Some problems can’t be fixed but there may be something you can do, even if it’s just being there to listen. Further, ask if you can pray for and with them.
- Be kind! – Treat others as you would like to be treated. Oftentimes, we don’t know what others are struggling with so be kind always!
We can rejoice that Jesus has complete empathy for what we go through in our lives. We can follow his example by showing empathy and kindness to others – and so many need it right now.
