In my recent blog for my HR consulting business, I posted on empathy in the workplace. I thought I would do the same here for three reasons. First, empathy is extremely important in work and in life. Secondly, it is also expected of us as Christians. Last but not least, I guess I’m a little lazy:)
What Empathy Is
Through empathy, we put ourselves in the place of others without judgment or bias and try to understand their unique life experiences. Empathy is essential recognizing and sharing the emotions of others. It differs from sympathy which is essentially the heightened awareness of another person’s plight as something to be alleviated.
What the Bible Says About Empathy
What can the Bible teach us about empathy? The answer is a lot! Consider Jesus in his life, ministry, and death. He had to take on our human nature so that he could suffer and intercede for us.
Hebrews 4:15 says,
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus knows what it means to be human. He can relate to our suffering because He lived and suffered and experienced the same struggles we do.
Empathy leads us to have compassion on others because we know what it means to suffer. Even if we haven’t experienced the same exact kind of suffering, we’ve all been through painful circumstances and can relate to the suffering around us. We can then share the comfort and hope we’ve received from the Lord.
Romans 12:15 calls us to,
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
How to Increase Your Ability to Empathize with Others
Do you sometimes lack empathy? The first thing to do is to pray and ask God to increase your empathy and compassion for others. I have also put together the EMPATHY Framework below to help you elevate your personal empathy. I nerd out on acronyms and came up with this one to help others elevate their empathy.
Let’s walk through each of the steps.
E – Empathy for yourself
To show empathy to others, you must have empathy for yourself. God forgives you and gives you grace, and you should do the same for yourself!
M – Make an effort to really get to know others
Really get to know others, especially those that are different from you. Ask them to coffee or lunch. Be curious and ask lots of open-ended questions. Doing this will help to increase your ability to understand and empathize with others – and help you overcome biases that may be holding you back.
P – Practice vulnerability
Our vulnerability—admitting who we are with all our imperfections—makes us more compassionate and empathetic with others who are also messy and broken. If we go first with vulnerability, it gives others permission to do the same.
A – Always seek to understand others
Have you noticed that we sometimes judge others and don’t attempt to understand their perspectives? The Bible speaks against judging others in a condemning and hypocritical way. Make a good faith effort to understand the perspectives of others. Resist the urge to judge and ask open-ended, non-confrontational questions to increase your understanding.
T – Take time to listen
James 1:19 says,
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak…
We know what to do to really listen to others – we just don’t usually do it! The reality is that we typically listen to respond rather than really listening to understand. Give the others your undivided attention by tuning out distractions, using your body language, asking follow-up questions, paraphrasing, and resisting the urge to formulate your response while listening. REALLY listening will help you to become more empathetic.
H – Have an attitude of gratitude
Try to think positively and focus on what you are grateful for. Thank God for the blessings in your life – and let others know that you appreciate them.
Y – You can make someone’s day!
In Conclusion
Many of us are struggling, now probably more than ever. We need more empathy and compassion in our world. God calls us to “love our neighbors” and demonstrating empathy is one of the primary ways that we can do just that!
