I think a cry of friendship is not “fix it”, but “do you care?”
The “do you care” place though can be a place of stuckness *if* we assume empathy is the *total* solution. *Sometimes* empathy becomes a wallow in the mire, a bath in swill, and even a shared entry into falsity.
“I feel so worthless” – “yes yes, me too”.
Erm. No.
“I deserve to be mistreated” – “oh yes I know what you mean”.
Erm. No.
The meanings of sympathy and empathy are interesting, and yes Brene talks about those.
Both words contain the root word ‘pathos’ meaning suffering/feeling.
Sym/syn is “with”.
Em is “in”.
Sympathy says “I’m sad for your suffering…”
Empathy is “I feel your suffering…”
Empathy isn’t an end. It’s a means.
And the means can be painful and costly and slow but it’s going somewhere.
Imagine if all Jesus did was come and have a holiday here.
Imagine He came not as the God-Man, but just as God looking like a man as sometimes was the case in the Old Testament?
Would He have known what it felt like to be hungry?
To be tired from walking days on end?
To need to sleep?
To have His physicality subjected to the temptations that are not tempting to God?
Imagine if He was only a man?
How could there be anything other than some pretty nice advice come from his lips?
Jesus came in sympathy, walked and knew empathy but didn’t stop there.
He came to make a way – to Be Light in the the darkness.
If I am sitting in the darkness, please love me enough to share space with me.
And please bring a candle.
