Today’s Topic: Jesus the Empath
John 11:33-35
Introduction
Today, we continue on the series of the Images of Jesus. These images reveal His Humanity as well as His Divinity. They reveal to us the person, the nature, and the ethics of the biblical Jesus, who is also the only begotten Son of God.
Today, we have the term being an empath or an empathetic leader. Jesus Christ is the ultimate empath. The term empath is a psychological term that was coined in the 1900s. It is a non-religious word used to describe a person who has the gift of compassion fused with discernment. A compassionate person has the natural ability to discern deep things that others cannot.
For some being an empath comes naturally, while for many others, it can be acquired. As believers, when we empty ourselves of our fleshy and selfish nature, the Holy Spirit can live within us and direct us in empathy towards others.
God desires that we, His children, be compassionate towards others. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Jesus was moved with compassion, He had a strong feeling of sympathy and concern for someone’s suffering, and He always found a way to relieve the pain and always had a desire to help. Matthew 9:35-36; Matthew 14:14
The word compassion is derived from the Greek word ‘splagchnizomai’ meaning “ to be moved from the bowels” In the Jewish culture, the bowels were believed to be the seat of emotions like love and compassion. It means you are so touched by something that you feel it deep inside. 1 John 3:17 KJV “But whoso hath this world’s goods, and seeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
Do you shut your heart against the pain of others and put on the cloak of self-righteousness? It is sometimes easy for people to remember where God has brought them from when they get some form of relief.
It is interesting that many of us Christians forget that at one time or the other, the shoe pinched us. We wore the shoes of sin but we now bring out the dagger to destroy the one still in those shoes; some wore shoes of immigration but are now fully settled in a country of their desire and now bring out the dagger to destroy others in the waiting line. This is not to say nations should not have their boundaries, but what I’m saying is you who call yourself a believer, why bring out the dagger to stab your fellow human being in their most vulnerable moments?
One of the reasons why the Church has not been the hospital for many but a courthouse is because we forget the purpose why Jesus came. Mark 2:15-17; Luke 5:31-32
Instead of bending down as healers and intercessors, we seat as judges over people’s lives and shortcomings. Matthew 7:1; John 4:4-18 the woman at the well.
Do not allow your compassion to die due to your self righteousness, try and imagine what others are going through and how would you feel if you wore their shoes? Empathy is the ability to understand how someone is feeling; we reflect on how they feel and provide a safe place for them to express their pain or fear. But sympathy is feeling sorry for others but having a sense of relief we are not in their shoes. Prayers like some are dead, some are in the hospital, some are begging, but we have food, etc, sometimes show a lack of empathy and more of sympathy.
• Jesus was discerning and compassionate Luke 5:17-26
• Jesus perceived that the woman at the well was bound by shame and pain for her lifestyle and sin, and He offered her an opportunity to experience the fullness in Christ. John 4:17-26
• Jesus wept over Jerusalem, perceiving what was to come: Luke 19:41-44
• Jesus wept when Lazarus died: John 11:32-35
• Jesus stopped His crusade to bring comfort to a weeping widow who had lost her son and restored her hope: Luke 7:11-15
• Jesus had compassion for the rich young ruler: Mark 10:17-22; Jesus understood the turmoil of his soul, He knew the struggles of man and how we sometimes have to wrestle with the flesh and its desires.
• Jesus is our worthy example, and we should strive to be like Him; it’s interesting that many believers want to bring down fire like Elijah but do not want to emulate Jesus: Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 2:17
Scriptures
1 Kings 3:9
1 Peter 3:8
1 John 3:17
1 Corinthians 2:14
In conclusion John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:7-8
What Would Jesus Do? WWJD