:
Watch Live
Reston Bible Church

New to RBC? myRBC Give

  • Home
  • About
    • History of RBC
    • What We Believe
    • Sunday Services
    • Weekly Activities
    • Staff
    • Pastors
    • Elders
    • Contact Us
    • Weather Policy
  • Teaching
    • Live Stream
    • Sermons
    • Sr. High Audio
    • Jr. High Audio
    • Men’s Ministry
    • Women’s Ministry
    • Marriage
    • Iglesia Hispana
  • Events
    • Men
    • Women
    • Children
    • Jr. High
    • Sr. High
    • Community
    • Family Life
    • Classes
  • Ministries
    • Worship
    • ETS Courses
    • Ministry Fellows
    • Shepherd Groups
    • Children’s Ministry
    • Jr. High Ministry
    • Sr. High Ministry
    • Young Adults
    • Men’s Ministry
    • Women’s Ministry
    • Family Life
    • Iglesia Hispana
    • ESL Classes
    • Missions
    • Prayer
  • Care
    • Deacons
    • RBC Cares
    • Counseling
    • Food Pantry
    • Community Garden
    • Guilford Elementary
    • Legal Clinic
    • GriefShare
    • Addicted Loved Ones
    • Thrift Store Partnership
  • Resources
    • 2021 Annual Report
    • Jobs at RBC
    • Volunteer
    • myRBC
    • RightNow Media
    • Starting Point
    • Financial Peace
    • Believer’s Baptism
    • Parent-Child Dedications
    • Memorial Services
    • Weddings
    • Giving
  • Blog
  • Home
  • About
    • History of RBC
    • What We Believe
    • Sunday Services
    • Weekly Activities
    • Staff
    • Pastors
    • Elders
    • Contact Us
    • Weather Policy
  • Teaching
    • Live Stream
    • Sermons
    • Sr. High Audio
    • Jr. High Audio
    • Men’s Ministry
    • Women’s Ministry
    • Marriage
    • Iglesia Hispana
  • Events
    • Men
    • Women
    • Children
    • Jr. High
    • Sr. High
    • Community
    • Family Life
    • Classes
  • Ministries
    • Worship
    • ETS Courses
    • Ministry Fellows
    • Shepherd Groups
    • Children’s Ministry
    • Jr. High Ministry
    • Sr. High Ministry
    • Young Adults
    • Men’s Ministry
    • Women’s Ministry
    • Family Life
    • Iglesia Hispana
    • ESL Classes
    • Missions
    • Prayer
  • Care
    • Deacons
    • RBC Cares
    • Counseling
    • Food Pantry
    • Community Garden
    • Guilford Elementary
    • Legal Clinic
    • GriefShare
    • Addicted Loved Ones
    • Thrift Store Partnership
  • Resources
    • 2021 Annual Report
    • Jobs at RBC
    • Volunteer
    • myRBC
    • RightNow Media
    • Starting Point
    • Financial Peace
    • Believer’s Baptism
    • Parent-Child Dedications
    • Memorial Services
    • Weddings
    • Giving
  • Blog

Blog

IF/THEN: If I Were Empathetic

Mike MinterBibleApril 29, 2010 Leave a comment0

IF I WERE EMPATHETIC, THEN I would feel the pain of others. Their poverty would be my poverty, their divorce would be my divorce, their cancer would be my cancer. Rationalization, however, is quick on the draw in such situations. How can I possibly be expected to carry such a load? I have enough problems of my own. But such rationale is soon to fade when we consider how desperate we are in similar situations and wonder where the encouraging word will come from. Where are all the believers when you need them? Have I been forsaken? Why hasn’t anyone called to see how I am doing?

Being empathetic does not mean that I am to carry the weight of the world’s problems. This is not reasonable and certainly not practical for one simple reason – all the world is hurting. The context of life is a world of pain and need. This does not, however, excuse me from being empathetic. Empathy has boundaries, and two things come into play for it to be carried out. First is proximity and second is familiarity. In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians we find in the first chapter that we are to comfort others the same way we have been comforted by the Lord (1 Cor. 1:4).  This implies that two conditions must be met if empathy is to transpire. First, I have to be in the vicinity of the one I am to give comfort to, and secondly, I am best equipped to minister if I have been through a similar heartache. So as you can see, I can easily get off the hook if these two don’t line up.   However, if I am truly empathetic there is another way to do this. I can find someone who does qualify and encourage them to come alongside the wounded party.  “Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts” (Eph. 6:22). In such cases, I am showing the love of Christ.

I will never care the way I should for those who are hurting. The Good Samaritan is not realistic. We will never pull over for every stranded motorist. It just isn’t going to happen. There is, however, someone who did more than just pull over. There is someone who has been touched with the feelings of our infirmities. There is someone who has suffered spiritual, emotional, and physical wounding. Where I have failed, He has triumphed and in this triumph I am moved to be like Him. When I am like Him, I will truly be empathetic.

0 thoughts on “IF/THEN: If I Were Empathetic”

  1. Pingback: Tweets that mention IF/THEN: If I Were Empathetic « Reston Bible Church -- Topsy.com

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Fearfully & Wonderfully Made

Spring Clean Update

Blog Categories

  • Announcements
  • Bible
  • Celebrating Generosity
  • Children's Ministry
  • Community
  • Culture
  • Current Events
  • Devotional
  • Doxologies
  • Event Updates
  • Events
  • Family Life
  • Family Quest
  • From the Field
  • Gospel
  • Green Room Sessions
  • International Connection
  • Local Outreach
  • Media
  • Men's Ministry
  • Missions
  • Moms Connection
  • News
  • Next Generation Project
  • Pastor Mike
  • Preparing for Sunday
  • Quest Trail Guide
  • Resources
  • Service/Volunteer
  • Stay the Course
  • Take 2
  • Take 5
  • Teaching Series
  • Theology
  • Uncategorized
  • Women's Ministry
  • Worship
  • Young Adults Ministry
  • Youth Ministry

About Us

RBC exists to know Jesus Christ and to make Him known. We seek to accomplish that through biblical preaching, teaching, and authentic Christian community here in Northern Virginia and around the world.

Sunday Services:
9:00 and 10:45 a.m.
Phone: 703-404-5010

Learn more Connect with us

On the Blog

  • QUEST: Preschool Lesson for July 3
    QUEST: Preschool Lesson for July 3
    July 2, 2022
  • BABY QUEST: July Lessons
    BABY QUEST: July Lessons
    July 1, 2022
  • Preparing for Sunday | July 3
    Preparing for Sunday | July 3
    June 30, 2022
  • Family Quest: Kaboom! Lesson 2
    Family Quest: Kaboom! Lesson 2
    June 26, 2022
See the Blog

Upcoming Events

  1. River Fun at Emily’s

    July 6 | 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
  2. Freshmen Campout

    July 7 | 8:30 am - July 8 | 7:00 pm
  3. Band of Brothers Men’s Breakfast

    July 9 | 8:00 am - 9:30 am
  4. Youth Summer Camp

    July 24 - July 30
  5. Blood Drive

    July 30 | 8:30 am - 1:00 pm

View All Events

Twitter Updates

  • Why can you take a step of faith in the midst of the storm when God calls you? Because He loves you more than you c… https://t.co/9QrFcYP6DN - 2 days ago
  • Join us this morning at https://t.co/GpGY1kTUqZ and worship with us via our livestream at 9:00am and 10:45am! - 13 days ago
  • Preparing for Sunday, June 19 | Songs + Scripture at https://t.co/TgS8Sk8Duz https://t.co/0bRLj6eZ9d - 15 days ago
Follow Us
Copyright 2020 Reston Bible Church | 45650 Oakbrook Court, Dulles, Virginia 20166