Part 2: Empathy

From the series, "How We Love Matters."

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin." Hebrews 4:15

Empathy is often described as walking in someone else’s shoes. When we look at how Jesus modeled empathy, He didn’t just put on our shoes - He put on our flesh. Jesus came from Heaven not to condemn but to save. Not to dismiss our sins but to forgive them. Not to stand far off but to sit close.

As cancel culture, pain, and social media echo chambers push us further and further apart, empathy is the beginning of closing the divide. How do you love your neighbor or your enemy? We begin like Jesus, we begin with empathy. It's what allows our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and our hearts to feel. It pushes away our preconceived notions towards each other and enables us to sit with each other instead. It creates the space in our hearts to see someone created in the image of God even when we don’t see eye to eye.