Empathy Trap

Dr. Mike 2020, Traps ,

I Peter 3:8-9 ESV

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.  Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called…

Empathy and sympathy are two commonly confused words in the English language. Empathy is “feeling with” another and sympathy is “feeling for” another. In our culture today, empathy is given higher praise than sympathy. You will notice whenever someone is victimized through the social media, people immediately come to their defense by totaling supporting the victim without having full knowledge of the facts.

Typically, the tribal instinct kicks in and people of the specific tribe take upon themselves to protect one of theirs. The immediate focus becomes protecting the victim without truly caring for the truth.

The Bible speaks much about compassion, sympathy, and caring for another, but nothing I could find about empathy. In fact, more is said about being sympathetic which leads to a better outcome for the community and person for the long haul.

The trap of being empathetic is finding oneself lost in the same problem as the victim. One easily becomes buried in the problem with a victimize mentality rather than remaining objective and seeking out the best solution.

Being sympathetic on the other hand, allows one to feel the pain of the victim but maintain enough distance from the situation to gather all the facts and determine the best solution.

Actors like to practice the art of empathizing to become better equipped for the role they plan to play. However, in real life to empathize most often leads to becoming like the other person sharing their beliefs, worldview, and one-sided opinions rather than capturing the overall big picture of the situation. When one empathizes, one often will surrender objective truth and limit their choices by emerging into the life of another.

Jesus Christ is always our prime example. He surrendered his divine home and entered the human sphere. He walked among us, exercised his natural attributes of compassion, didn’t comply with all the cultural standards of his day, but instead exemplified the truth with grace without allowing the feelings of others persuade him. He sympathized with others rather than allow to become swallowed-up by the attitudes and powers around him.

So next time you witness an “injustice”, exercise Godly compassion, sympathize with the victim, and be patience with reaching a verdict until after all the known facts are gathered. There are always two-sides to a story. You risk blinding yourself when you become empathetic. But being sympathetic allows you to view both sides to reach a more objective, holy verdict.    

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

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Copyright 2013-2020 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

 

Christianity: Version One

Dr. Mike 2020, Journey in Christ , , ,

Jude 3 (ESV)

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

2 Corinthians 13:11

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Which version of Christianity do you practice?

At last count, there are approximately 30,000 denominations in the United States alone. Each with a slightly different message emphasizing certain aspects of the gospel and delineating other points. If one is unhappy with the institution they currently are attending, they can easily shop down the street for another which better suit their beliefs and needs.

For the person searching for God, the journey can be most confusing. Most people have very little theological education and generally select a church community very much like choosing a gym membership. On the other hand, many who have left the institutional church because of hurt feelings or disagreement of teachings, leap to the other side and become agnostic Christians. They believe portions of Christianity but have difficulty with the God of the Bible. Most often they are stranded on a spiritual island unrecognizing the seriousness of their dilemma. They want a relationship with the living God, but everything they are told to do and act upon doesn’t seem to change their world. Again, they may become frustrated and walk away from The Way.

When one comes to realize Christianity version one is still available for all who ask, seek, and knock, the journey’s Way becomes more encouraging, engaging, and exciting. As one reads the early disciple’s writings about Jesus Christ, and His teachings, one begins to capture the Good News that the angels shared with the shepherds at the birth of earth’s King.

When one begins to focus on developing a meaningful relationship with the Triune God, instead of following a list of rules and duties, one discovers the God of the Bible.

As you travel through the writings of Matthew, Mark, John, Luke, Paul, Peter, James, and Jude, you capture another side of who God is. Then as you immerse yourself into continual prayer with your heavenly Father, He answers your heart with solutions beyond your expectations. You slowly learn He cares for you and all those around you. As you begin to communicate with the Living God more profusely, you find yourself experiencing the fruit of His Spirit in your life.

Your heart and mind and soul slowly align with His desires. You begin to change. The old you slowly dissipate and a new creation comes alive. Your focus becomes more God and less you. You join His story instead of trying to write an independent biography. The relationship you begin to experience is pattern after the one Jesus has with His Father. As you read Scripture, you study context, Biblical culture, and learn to apply the message into your life today living in the 21st century. You become an amateur theologian.

Christianity version one is found written in the New Testament section of the Bible and also the writings of the early Church fathers during the first three hundred years after Christ’s ascension into heaven. All that information is at your finger tip. Instead of relying on any one institution or teacher, why not become a practicing Christian of version one yourself?  

Ask your heavenly Father to lead you; allow the Holy Spirit to direct you; and Jesus Christ to fully live in you. Step aside your pride, lust, and worldly desires, and allow the Triune God complete His masterpiece within you. He designed you, gifted you, and made you unique for His purpose. Find that purpose in Christ, hang out with the Invisible God, and relive Christianity version one. You will never want to go back to the life you had before you truly met the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is truly Good News. If you haven’t come to that realization yet, then maybe its time to return to the basics of Christianity version one. Your family, friends, and work associates may think you as a radical Christian, but if radical means experiencing the overflowing life found in Jesus Christ, then why not bring it on!

Today is a new day. Yesterday is done. Tomorrow is only a day on a calendar until it arrives. But today is always the start of something new. Why not make today the day you reach out, forgive others and yourself, grab the hand of the Man from Galilee, and follow Him along your journey today. Be radical in Christ, partake of His creation, and watch as He leads you through this world’s maze for His glory and your salvation. You will not have time to look back. But will find yourself always amazed at His work in your life and the life of others.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-2020 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Don’t Lose Your Crown

Dr. Mike 2020, Jesus Apprentice , ,

Revelation 3:11

I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.

Whenever I hear people speak about escaping earth for heaven so they may retire into a life of ease, I smile. Likewise, whenever I hear others speak about the purpose of life is heaven, I stop and wonder how familiar they are with the below Scriptures. And again, whenever I feel beaten up for the week and ask myself is this struggle between self, Satan, and the world’s system worth the battle, I like to reread the below verses from the Bible.

Revelation 2:26

The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations,

Revelation 20:4

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also, I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Revelation 20:6

Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

Revelation 5:10

and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

2 Timothy 2:12

if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;

Luke 19:17

And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’

We have been given a crown. It’s yours to keep or yours to lose. It is yours not because of your efforts, but because Jesus wants to share his life and plans and hopes with you.

You are now being trained to effectively wear your crown. As a parent, husband or wife, teacher, lawyer, entrepreneur, supervisor, politician… you are being prepared for eternity while you serve others today in your daily role.

The crown is already yours. You are learning to lead not by lording over others, but how well you serve others. Today your domain probably is quite small. Tomorrow though, your domain may be substantially larger because of the effort and time and diligence you embarked for the sake of others.

But don’t take your crown for granted and don’t waste the opportunities that come your way. Instead, always let Christ lead you first as you lead others. For this is your daily service as a crown bearer.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-2020 Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved