empathy | Daily Encouragement

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“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.” (Romans 5:3, NLT)

The only way to become a successful long-distance runner is to put in the miles over a period of time. Anything less, and the runner fails because he or she lacks endurance.

God is building into us endurance (perseverance) through various problems and trials as a cross-country coach might send his runners over rough, hilly, trails; and through spongy meadows, knowing that in order to overcome, a runner must first endure.

God is fitting each one of us for His purposes. Trials and problems come into our life only with God’s permission. He permits them only to the extent that they are necessary to run the course we cannot yet see — or to run beside the individual we have not yet met.

When we keep in mind the beneficial outcomes of our trials, we can rejoice. – Luther

Tagged empathy, endurance, the book of Romans, trials

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“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” (1 Peter 3:8, NIV)

Whether in the human family into which we were born, or the spiritual family of God into which we both chose and were chosen; success depends on: (1) Having the same values and goals (like-minded). As both scripture (Mark 3:25, Matthew 12:25, Luke 11:17) and and Abraham Lincoln (1858) have said: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

Getting on the same “wave-length” as others can be very difficult, but we must persist because achieving and maintaining like-mindedness is essential in any task or endeavor where we must cooperate with others.

Taking the time to imagine what it would be like to live in someone else’s shoes (empathy) opens the door to like-mindedness. – Luther

Tagged Abraham Lincoln, empathy, like-mindedness, the book of 1 Peter

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“When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.” (Job 2:11-13, NIV)

There is a lesson here for anyone who might visit someone that is suffering: Words can (and often do) get in the way.

Job’s three friends were faithful, indeed: They took time to visit their afflicted brother. Job’s friends were sympathetic: They were so moved by Job’s dis-figuration that they wept and put dust on their heads (which was a sign of mourning or penitence). Job’s friends were sensitive: They knew that Job needed their presence more than he needed their advice, so they sat with him for seven days and nights!

None of us should expect to have all of the right words — or words at all — in such times; but all of us can choose to be faithfully present; sympathetic; and sensitive to those who are suffering. Don’t allow words to get in the way. – Luther

Tagged empathy, grief, Job's friends, sympathy, the book of Job

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