Concern/Empathy
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Professor of Preaching, Cincinnati Bible Seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Updated
December 07, 2009
Far too often, Christians are like the man who met an old friend and asked, "How's everything with you?" The other man said, "Terrible. You know my wife just died." The first man said, "Well, it could have been worse."
The other man said, "Not only that, but my son has been sent to jail." The reply again was, "It could have been worse."
"Well," he said, "not only that, but I've just come from the doctor's office, and he says I have an incurable disease. "Again," the man said, "it could be worse."
By that time he'd had it. He said, "How in the world could it be any worse?" The other fellow said, "Well, it could have happened to me."
We cannot be that indifferent. The Spirit of Christ demands that we genuinely feel the hurts of our brothers and sisters and work to alleviate them.
The other man said, "Not only that, but my son has been sent to jail." The reply again was, "It could have been worse."
"Well," he said, "not only that, but I've just come from the doctor's office, and he says I have an incurable disease. "Again," the man said, "it could be worse."
By that time he'd had it. He said, "How in the world could it be any worse?" The other fellow said, "Well, it could have happened to me."
We cannot be that indifferent. The Spirit of Christ demands that we genuinely feel the hurts of our brothers and sisters and work to alleviate them.