Empathy

1. “All of you be of one mind” (1 Peter 3:8).

The “one mind” that the apostle Peter refers to in this passage is the mind of Christ, which is what all Christians aspire to have. But Peter’s call for unity among believers cannot be answered without empathy and understanding. In order to be one with other people, we must develop a deep understanding of

    who they are

    how they became that person

    what they know

    how they learned it

    what they hold dear

    why they hold it dear

    how they feel

    why they feel that way.

According to Peter, oneness is created by treating one another with compassion, love, tenderness and courtesy—four qualities that lie at the heart of empathy.

2. “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15).

Those who rejoice usually do so because good things are happening in their lives. If we’re not careful, other people’s rejoicing can trigger feelings of competition or jealousy. The urge to “top” others with stories of our own successes—or to wallow in envy because we don’t have as much to rejoice over—can be hard to resist.

Those who weep usually do so because they’ve suffered a devastating loss or misfortune. That can create some messy emotional landscapes. It’s nearly impossible to tread into the lives of hurting people without getting our hands dirty. The urge to stay out of the mess—to send our thoughts and prayers from a safe distance—can be hard to resist.

But that’s not what empathy is, and that’s not what God calls us to.

3. “Jesus wept” (John 11:35).

Jesus knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. So technically speaking, He knew there was no reason for Lazarus’ loved ones to mourn. He knew that in a matter of minutes, their tears would turn to joy. So Jesus would have been excused for rolling His eyes and shaking His head over the people’s reaction to something so … temporary.

Yet Jesus didn’t give Lazarus’ mourners the side-eye. He didn’t try to talk them out of their grief. He didn’t chide them for their lack of faith. Jesus saw people who were hurting, and it made Him hurt, too. He empathized so strongly with those who were mourning that He wept.

4. “We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15).

The book of Hebrews presents Jesus as a defense attorney of sorts. He represents His followers before God the Judge. While Satan, the prosecuting attorney, levels charges against us, demanding that God punish our sins, Jesus rebuts his accusations by reminding God that His (Jesus’) blood covers our offenses.

What makes Jesus an especially effective Counselor and Defender is His experience on earth. He expertly represents us before God because He empathizes with us. He knows what it is to be tempted and weak. He understands us because He experienced what we experience and endured what we endure.

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Does the Bible say anything about empathy?

Empathy, which should not be confused with sympathy, is the ability to understand the emotions, situations, thoughts, or attitudes of another person. It takes great emotional capacity to be able to feel what others feel, and while this comes easier for some than for others, we can all practice participating in the emotions of others as a way of loving them.

The Bible frequently refers to acts of empathy. Loving one another often means becoming deeply personal with each other, and we see this in the Scriptures as Paul encouraged Christians to "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep" (Romans 12:15). By sharing these emotions, we live life together as a Christian family, through all of the ups and downs. The apostle Peter also encouraged Christians to show compassion to others by having "unity of mind" and a "tender heart" (1 Peter 3:8).

Empathy is often the catalyst for action. The apostle John phrases this relationship between empathy and action in this way: "But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" (1 John 3:17). The love of God leads us to compassion (and empathy) for one another. If we do not have compassion on those who need material possessions or food or water, we are far less likely to act. Although we have intention of acting as God's hands and feet in this world, we often miss opportunities because we lack the empathy to perceive needs. Christians are called to love one another earnestly (Matthew 22:39; 1 Peter 4:8). One way we can begin to love others is to practice growing our empathy so we can understand each other.

Of course, Jesus is our best example of empathy. He was born as a human so He could experience every human emotion (Hebrews 4:15). We can rejoice that Jesus has complete empathy for what we go through in our lives. The Gospels are full of stories of Christ showing compassion on people who need it. In Luke 7:11–16, Jesus saw a widow's pain and was filled with compassion for her. He felt her deep sorrow and grief and brought her son back to life, and everyone there glorified God because they saw how He understands and heals pain. Jesus was always sensitive to others' experiences and stories (Matthew 9:36).

Just as we are able to show love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19), we are also able to show empathy because God is the greatest empathizer. David cried out to God in the Psalms, and his poetry teaches us how God intimately understands us. "You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?" (Psalm 56:8). We can be comforted through knowing that God has the capacity to know our each and every struggle and emotion. We can cast our anxieties on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).

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What is Christian fellowship and why is fellowship so important?

The early Christians clearly emphasized the importance of fellowship. Acts 2:42 notes, "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." In the early church, "day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people" (Acts 2:46-47). But why is Christian fellowship important?

The New Testament word for "fellowship," koinonia, expresses the idea of being together for mutual benefit. Hebrews 10:24-25 shares this idea, saying, "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." Two reasons fellowship with other believers is important are because it helps express love to one another and it encourages good works.

A third important reason for Christian fellowship is its impact on unbelievers. Jesus told His disciples, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). The love Christians have for one another can influence others toward faith in Jesus Christ.

Still another important reason for Christian fellowship is the ability to pray together. Early believers were committed to prayer, both individually and in groups. In James 5:14-16, elders were called together to pray for the sick as well as for those who had sinned. This required being together.

Christian fellowship is also important for church decision-making. In both Acts 6 and Acts 15, the early church gathered together to make important decisions about the future direction of the church. These required community, prayer, and close discussion.

Christian fellowship is required for baptism. A new Christian cannot baptize himself or herself because it is not a public profession of faith. Christians gather together to celebrate a person's baptism and serve as witnesses of the person's commitment to a new life in Jesus Christ.

Christian fellowship is required for communion, or the Lord's Supper. The Lord's Supper doesn't quite work the same for an online church. This ancient practice requires time together with other believers to remember the blood and body of Christ.

Though many believers today do not recognize the importance of fellowship or local church involvement, Christian fellowship is essential to spiritual growth. Many aspects of our spiritual lives depend on being together with other believers to encourage, teach, serve, and share life together.

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What is a biblical definition of faith?

Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." This would be the most concise biblical definition of "faith." But what else does the Bible say about faith?

The Greek word used most often in the New Testament for "faith" is pistis. It indicates a belief or conviction with the complementary idea of trust. Faith is not a mere intellectual stance, but a belief that leads to action. As James 2:26 says, "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead." James talks about demonstrating his faith by his works. Often what we do says more about what we believe than what we say.

A common example to illustrate faith is that of a chair. I may say I "believe" the chair can hold my weight, but I do not actually put faith in the chair until I sit in it. This is the type of faith required for salvation. Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." If we don't actually trust that God is real and that what He says is true, we won't come to Him for salvation. Ephesians 2:8–10 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Faith is an active trust in God, a belief in what He says is true that results in action. When we have faith in God, we believe that we are sinners deserving of eternal punishment (Romans 3:23). We believe that Jesus came into the world to live a perfect life, die on our behalf, and rise again victorious over sin and death (John 3:14–18; Romans 5:6–11; 1 Corinthians 15:3–5, 20–22; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21). We trust in Jesus to save us from our sins. We have faith that He gives us His Holy Spirit, as He promised (John 14:15–17; 16:4–15). We then trust in the Holy Spirit to do His work of sanctification in us (Romans 8; 2 Corinthians 3:18). We live to honor God, relying on His forgiveness and trusting that His ways are truly best (John 15:1–27; Romans 13:8–14; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 3; 2 Peter 1:3–11).