Empathy is a great personality trait to possess.
Good as it is, I believe many people don’t fully understand that you can feel empathy for someone’s situation and yet disagree with the circumstances that caused the situation in the first place.
The challenge in those moments is to abide by the biblical adage from John 8:7 that states, “When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, ‘Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.’”
Unfortunate as it can be, human nature instills in us the propensity to be judgmental when we’re the ones on the outside looking in. Judgement comes when we strive to interpret what someone else is feeling as opposed to simply listening and being there for them.
Empathy is a sort of bridge between us and others on their emotional journey from day to day. When we come face to face with someone in their own world of hurt, empathy allows us to convey to them that they’re not alone.
Whether a person struggles with addiction or simply has a different view politically, empathy is the conduit that allows us to still find common ground and ways to help each other, no matter how destructive we find their actions, or how totally wrong “we know” they are about one political candidate or their agenda vs. another.
What people fail to understand is that we can show empathy for a person we vehemently disagree with, as our understanding doesn’t mean we endorse their views or (often destructive) actions.
Simply put, we can validate their feelings without condoning their stance.
You feeling me?
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN
What is something you feel people just don’t understand? What do you feel about empathy? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
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