| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Renewed hope” Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience…: Colossians 3:12 (CSB) Our thought for today: “Rational compassion is best” This morning, we will continue our thinking from a previous devotional regarding how it is possible for us as Christians to exhibit the virtues of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience as Paul calls for in Colossians 3:12, in such a way that it helps a suffering person to feel better and gives them renewed hope. In his great book, “Build the Life you Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier” Arthur Brookes draws a distinction between sympathy, empathy, and rational compassion. Sympathy is feeling sorry for someone who is in physical or emotional pain, or to whom some unfortunate or bad thing has happened. Sympathy is a normal healthy human emotion and it is one we should feel when we encounter someone dealing a with sad situation. To be unfeeling about the misfortune of others is an indication of emotional dysfunction. Sympathy is good. But empathy is better. Empathy is more than just recognizing someone else’s pain but actually feeling it along with them. It is putting yourself into their shoes and imagining what they must be feeling, to the point that you are feeling it too. Empathy is better than sympathy but it is also potentially dangerous. When you are empathic you are experiencing all your own trials in life, and now you are experiencing theirs as well. That can get heavy. Especially if you are an empathic person by nature and tend to take on lots of pain and sorrow from lots of other people. Rational compassion is the way to bless people and avoid the pitfalls of empathy. Rational compassion recognizes the suffering of others, cares about their suffering, even feels their pain. Then it goes one step further and, if possible, it does something to help alleviate or lessen their suffering. That’s compassion. The rational part is that we recognize that we cannot eliminate the other person’s pain and suffering. We can only help them with it. The sad fact is that this is a broken world and from time-time-time, we all suffer in many ways. Rational compassion moves beyond empathy by adding action that makes a real and meaningful difference. As a Christian with the Holy Spirit in your heart, you already have all the tools you need to help a suffering person find a sense of renewed hope. Sympathy and empathy are good and needed, but rational compassion is best. God bless, Pastor Jim (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville |
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Oak Hill Baptist Church 
Thank you for this wisdom. Blessings 🙌
Thank you for the feedback and encouragement!
You are welcome.