Empathy Training
“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;”
I Peter 3:8
My wife was reading a magazine the other day. I inquired what she was reading about. She said: “Empathy training.” The article was about our local school system implementing empathy training classes for students.
Empathy training? Don’t the kids know already how to have compassion for others?
Shockingly, the answer is no. Same goes for adults.
We all need reminders to be empathetic.
“The term “empathy” is used to describe a wide range of experiences. Emotion researchers generally define empathy as the ability to sense other people’s emotions, coupled with the ability to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling.” (https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/empathy/definition)
Here’s some reminders from the Bible to be empathetic:
“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;”
I Peter 3:8
“Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15
Christ modeled empathy:
“But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.”
Matthew 9:36
When Lazarus died, Jesus was SO MOVED with compassion that He wept. (John 11:35)
Let’s follow our Master’s example!
“Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” Theodore Roosevelt
