What does it mean for Christians to be empathetic? From what I have gathered over the course of most of my Christian education it means that i have to accept that God doesn't save everyone and I need to deal with it and be thankful that I am one of the lucky ones (the chosen) and feel bad for the others...in some way. I trust that Jesus died and rose again to save me from my sins, but that is me...and most of the people that I love and care about.
What about the people that were not raised as I was? What about the people who died young, were killed young, or have no understanding of where I come from in my faith? The Japanese at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in WWII? The victims of bombs and missiles? ..the list goes on and on...
I have asked this question to many mentors in years past, but I have never felt great about the answer (though I have heard many a heart felt one).
When it comes down to it life isn't fair and God is God...but what the heck does that mean when we know the truth are not able to reconcile the question...why?
I submit that it is not a lack of faith that asks these deep, burning, questions in our own lives. then why are we such empathetic creatures in the first place? Why do we hurt with one another when a friend or family member passes away? Why do we feel bad when someone we know is terribly sick? Or someone loses everything? ...because it is a part of us to feel empathy. Yet, what does that mean in a larger context when we have to accept that we are the elect and that many many many people in this world (and yes, people we know and love) are not privy to the right information and belief?
It makes us feel guilty that we are not doing more to save souls right? At least that is the impression that I get.
I suppose this is breaking my argument(s) into two sanctions...one for those who are just killed and I do not feel like they really had a chance to know Jesus and those who have decided that Jesus is not there savior. Yet, empathy has to be a part of both right? Do we not mourn for/pray hard for those who we know do not have a relationship with God..and those who we feel were not given the special revelation that many of us have had since we were kids? (I love the idea of general revelation and believe it to a certain point, but there are so many people in the world who have grown up entirely different..with different families, different education, different beliefs...and where I can understand where creation would show them God I have a hard time believing that it would be the Jesus that I know.)
Where does that leave us with empathy? Hurt with the broken hearted and downcast....and walk with the lost....share the truth God has taught us in our lives with honesty .....and pray and for those who don't know God. That is what I know and believe...and I have peace about it...in my own walk. It just hurts like hell sometimes to think about... and digest the searing tragedy that is life without Jesus.
God made us empathetic for a reason...I just cannot completely wrap my mind around empathy when He is so good to me for no reason but His own.....
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