The relational beauty of empathy
It’s long been a mystery to me why on earth some people have too much empathy and others too little. At one end of the spectrum we have people who are so empathic that they end up in a relationship with those at the other end of the spectrum, those on the narcissistic end. I do not think it is useful in the present discussion to focus on the latter, because the former are much more worthy of discussion and praise.
But how beautiful it is when two people who are empathic come together. Those with empathy really deserve those with empathy.
I have done word studies on the Greek word epi-a-case (epieikes) several times over the years. I have always focused on the qualities of this trait in people, but now I would like to focus on how these traits work.
This word means gentleness, meekness, kindness, and there is definitely a kind patience involved in the person that is characterized by epi-a-case. Such a person is caring and sensitive, and our world often sees these traits as weakness. But the person with epi-a-case it’s not weak at all.
If we add all these elements, as far as another person can see, we see in this person the quality of empathy, at least in this sense:
For your commitment to grace
empathy will suffer a broken heart,
and yet that suffering will build
even stronger vulnerability.
Empathy can experience
the fullness of the reality of God,
because the truth with love,
both to the maximum
the experience is worth it.
Empathy can be bravely vulnerable,
because he knows no other way.
Yet we often suppress empathy
because it feels like weakness.
Particularly in an increasingly narcissistic age,
one of the best gifts we can give our children
they are opportunities to experience and express empathy.
When it comes to relational connection, those with empathy offer survival warmth in the cold of conflict. They believe beyond the desolation of the void left by belligerents who prefer distance. Empathy reaches out and continues to spread and upward, and that can only be called Love.
Love spreads without waiting
the other to reach the back.
Offer strength to those
that would take away his strength.
Yet love, in the glory of wisdom,
he will rebuke the abuser for the sake of the abuser.
Love loves because it can
not because I should
not because he was fooled,
and definitely not to be reimbursed.
It’s amazing what love becomes when it manifests itself in the practicality of empathy. A love like this knows no limits, and flies on the wings of hope, ascending to transcendence, believing against all odds for the purpose of reconciliation.
So, if empathy can be transliterated as love, we must know that love is the end of all being, as well as being the means to achieve it.
Love has its chances in life.
We take them today or miss them forever.
And if we miss you today,
we’ll take them tomorrow.
what grace is the Lord
love a full life
repetitive error
where the opportunity to overcome
does it show up all the time?
We start with empathy, so we must conclude that way.
The relational beauty of empathy is compelling. It is the trait of those who believe in relationship. Those who would reject empathy, whether participating in it or receiving it, are fools in a relational world and life. Those who would reject empathy are in the class of those who would abuse the very systems that empaths support.
But empaths have an eternal power beyond destruction. This eternal supremacy is worth being abused for, because God will have the last word.
Those with empathy truly have the Kingdom of God.
Once they understand that,
they already have everything.
Such a person can only be content.