DAILY-E-VOTIONAL

BLESSINGS FROM THE HEART

Pastor Cecil A. Thompson

June 11, 2015

“EMPATHY!”

 Hebrews 4:14-15   

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Recently I read something by David Jeremiah about the distinction between sympathy and empathy, which I have been pondering on ever since. The difference is both startling and revealing at the same time.

Sympathy may be described as having pity or sorrow for the misfortunes of someone else. We have often felt sorry for people who are going through difficult times. We may even claim to know what a person is going through, but do we really? Feeling sorry for someone is not being able to identify with that person’s trial.

Empathy differs from sympathy because it can identify with that other person. In order to do so, they must have gone through or must now be going through that very circumstance in their own life. We need to be careful with our words of sympathy. They may sound hollow to the one who is traveling through a deep valley of trial.

Jesus knew that we would be going through times of trials and tribulation. Across the centuries of time, followers of Christ have suffered and died for the sake of the gospel. Our Lord has empathy because He has been in that same position. He knows what it feels like to be tested and tried, to be tempted and tormented. When we go through the difficult times of life, there is a Rock we can turn to. That Rock is Jesus. He knows and cares.

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions! 

- - - Pastor Cecil