EMPATHY

EMPATHY

 Have you ever seen The Truman Show?  It is a 1998 American comedy-drama film. The film depicts the story of Truman Burbank (played by Jim Carrey, a man who is unaware that he is living his entire life on a colossal soundstage and that it is being filmed and broadcast as a reality television show which has a huge international following. All of his friends, family and members of his community are paid actors whose job it is to sustain the illusion and keep Truman unaware about the false world he inhabits.

How aware are we of the world which we inhabit?

There is more than what we see.

Spiritual Prisoners

Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. 2 Timothy 2:25-26

Ignorant Spiritual Prisoners

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4

Blind Spiritual Prisoners Of spiritual War  who are unaware! 

We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 1 John 5:19

How incredibly sad!

What is our response? What should be our response?

For those of us who once were blind by now we see…What is it that we see?  Can we see dead men walking?

We need to have the sixth sense of spiritual vision           

 

How often do we read a Facebook or Instagram post, hear a cable news pundit, listen to a politician,  hear a celebrity pontificate, read a blog, email or news reports and get disgusted!

We get shocked by what people say or do.  We make righteous judgements.

“I can’t believe what they just said!”  “How can they believe that?!” “These people are evil!”

“They should know better..”

No!  We should know better!   What should we expect?  These are poor, blind, prisoners of war who don’t even know they are captive!  HOW INCREDIBLY SAD!

em·pa·thy /?emp?TH?/ noun

1. the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

Out of all the people in the world, Christians should have the most loving empathy for others.

Jesus did/does à “Father forgive them, they know not what they do”

It’s not that there is not right and wrong or good and evil.  There is.  Sin is real and ALL people have sinned and fallen short.  But, some of us have been brought to our senses, our minds no longer controlled, our freedom returned to us, our eyes now can see.  We are those who should be humbly grateful as we have been rescued from the dominion of darkness. (Col 1:13)

We are free while so many are not and know it not!

How is it we would treat a blind person trying to get on a subway?  Or a mentally disabled person attempting to cross the street?  Would we think to ourselves, how can they act this way? (they are not acting).  Would we scream at them?  Would we proudly prove our superiority over them?  Well, of course not- at least we ought not!

This is not a parable or an analogy.  It is the truth.  We live amongst blind, clueless, hapless, hopeless, helpless, lost people just trying to survive life but unable to live life.

If we could look at the news, read the posts, hear the pundits and see people as shackled, mislead and  programmed might we treat them differently?  Might we have empathy for them? Might we pray for them vs. judge them?  Might we love them vs. hate them?

Remember, WE once were blind and now we can see – we can see the lost.

Let’s not close our eyes.

We have to go, to know and to let ‘them’ know.  Let’s go!