In recent years, the false “Gospel of Toxic Empathy” has gained ground in some Christian  circles.   Those who adhere to it, justify callousness, indifference and cruelty by citing its message.   The “Gospel of Toxic Empathy” is antithetical to Christianity, and living in community in our shared world.

To live as a Christian, is to be a person who grows in empathy,  understanding  and love for others.   It is to recognize that whatever we do, or don’t do for a person in need, it is the same as doing it for Jesus.  Compassion and empathy are at the very core of Christians values.

Empathy is foundational to the call of Christ, and all who follow that call.    Jesus lived a life of empathy and compassion  as he walked this earth. “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:36

The first time I read straight through the gospels,* I was struck by how often the words, “And Jesus had compassion for them,” occurred. It was the language of empathy and compassion  that drew so many hurting people to Jesus . . .  People who knew they didn’t measure up to society’s expectation of who they were supposed to be, but found acceptance and welcome in Jesus.

Christ’s compassion is  the open door of love which binds up the wounds of a suffering world. It is this compassion which both surrounds us and propels us to live our lives in a similar way, opening doors of grace to others who have also suffered along life’s way. None of us can be Jesus, but all of us can use the example of love he showed us in our relationships and in our attitude toward those who are not in our circle.

How much richer our world is because Jesus entered into it, suffering with us, and leading us in new paths.   How much richer  still will our world be, when all of us  drop our biases, our prejudices, see each other as children of the same God . . .  Then together, join in binding the wounds of a broken world.

* “The Gospels” refers to the Biblical books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John which are found in the New Testament portion of the Bible. They contain the words of Jesus and tell about his life, death and resurrection.

A version of this post was published as “Jesus Had Compassion on Them,” June 3, 2018