Monday, August 12^th 2013

The third and final part of the “Three Faces” segment will be on empathy. As with the other two installments, in this piece we will explore both, the “blessing” side and the “curse” side of empathy.

To live with a heart of empathy and walk in spiritual empathy is to share in the compassion and deep rich feelings Christ had, and has, for people. It is essentially having a Christ-like heart.

Please note all underlings in definitions and Scripture provided.

Empathy = per Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary

the experiencing as one’s own of the feelings of another; also : the capacity for this

Empathy = per Merriam-Webster’s Medical Desk Dictionary

1 : the imaginative projection of a subjective state into an object so that the object appears to be infused with it

2 : the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner; also : the capacity for empathy

1 Peter 3:8 (NKJV)

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;

“compassion” in the Greek Language is defined as:

4835. συμπαθής sumpathēs, soom-path-ace´; from 4841; having a fellow-feeling (“sympathetic”), i.e. (by impl.) mutually commiserative:— having compassion one of another.

4841. συμπάσχω sumpaschō, soom-pas´-kho; from 4862 and 3958 (incl. its alt.); to experience pain jointly or of the same kind (spec. persecution; to “sympathize”):— suffer with.

Whether they are sitting across from a hurting soul, reading an email written by one, talking with one on the phone, listening to a testimony in church or at Bible study, even merely observing or learning about someone’s plight they do not even know via some mass media source – the Spiritual Remnant feels and understands in a way most people do not. The level of their feelings for people and situations is far beyond what an secular person would deem necessary or perhaps even ‘normal’ in their definition. This is because the unspiritual man cannot understand the spiritual man. The Remnant feels people’s pain. The Remnant inside the Remnant feels God’s pain for His people.

These feeling of empathy and compassion reside in the Remnant twenty-four-seven whether they like it or not. Now as the Remnant matures spiritually they become more adapt to handling these feeling without vexing the feelings thus restricting the work of God or over-indulging in the feelings thus rendering themselves useless to the one suffering. The balance of empathy and compassion comes with godly experience and godly wisdom. The secular view and psychological teaching of the need to be monotone with little or no feelings, empathy, passion, or compassion is not biblical and causes a strange form of suppression, which is choking the life and love out of society as a whole. The Remnant must always be on guard in their quest for balance to make sure they do not secularize the natural godly heart God has given them.

Note in Merriam-Webster’s definition #2 the last portion, “without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner”. This is an extremely important aspect of empathy. One need not convince a Remnant of the validity of their feelings or even at times fully explain their feelings for the very real presence of godly empathy to arise within the CURRENT Spiritual Remnant of God. The Christ-like heart and compassion they feel is without effort and ever-present. This can led to the curse side of empathy.

The empathy and compassion the Spiritual Remnant feel can often drain them and leave them exhausted. The need to be consistent in a time of solitude with Jesus is crucial to their overall spiritual, mental, and emotional health, so that they do not become spiritually burnt-out. Yes, one can become spiritually burnt-out if they are serving too much and not taking care of their own spiritual health.

Why did I choose to include “compassion” when addressing the distinguishing mark of empathy found within the CURRENT Spiritual Remnant of God? I do so because in a godly aspect and form the two are not mutually exclusive but are instead two sides of the same coin.

Compassion = per Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary

sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it

That driving desire to “alleviate” another person’s suffering is the compassion side of the empathy coin.

Here is an interesting side note. Unless brought forth the empathy and compassion that the CURRENT Spiritual Remnant carry within themselves can easily be overlooked. Why? The contrast between those traits and another often misunderstood quality. The spirit of God inside, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Authority of the Truth spoken is what makes the called of God “appear” intimidating. It is not the person who is intimidating to people it is often the Truth inside the person, which is intimidating. Much to the Remnant’s chagrin, most people do not know how to discern the difference and interact with the Remnant appropriately. Without the ability to interact properly, individuals often cannot recognize the empathy and compassion the Spiritual Remnant carry inside their spirits.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

¹¹And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹²for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— ¹⁶from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.