I was talking to my husband the other other day about Empathy and how showing more empathy to our children has helped their behavior in some ways.
It seems it calms the anxiety and it helps them to feel…loved. I believe that empathy and compassion is one of God’s attributes, thus if we are to be like Him then we must attempt to do what He did and does.
I began looking at the idea of empathy and was reminded that God became human (while remaining fully God) and lived life on this earth bearing much of human pain and agony.
God, through Jesus (God as the Son), had compassion and empathy for us…enough to send a remedy for our state as humans (spiritually dead). Through trusting in Jesus, realizing our current state, and repenting, we are filled with power; and that power is through God’s spirit that makes out hearts His home. He is cleaning house. He is, in a sense, clearing out the cobwebs and creating something absolutely stunning in us; for He wants a relationship with us; and at the end of this journey we will be in our true home with God forever. God provided a way for that to come true by sending us Jesus to make a sacrifice once for all of our sins against God.
As humans we sometimes start projects but never get the job done or get to a state of completion. It is so wonderful to know that God’s work in us never ceases. Once we have given Him the keys to our hearts and He in turn opens our hearts ( Or He opens our hearts and we then give him the keys, metaphorically speaking), we begin to surrender daily our lives to Him. We are awakened. Our lives are changed. We did nothing to earn this, but we accept to receive this new life. It was nothing in our selves; just a true gift. Salvation is a gift. We did nothing to earn it, and we can do nothing to ever lose it.
As I work on empathizing more with my children and others, I try to remind myself that God first had a heart for me and in my dirty, cob-webbed heart He decided to make it his residence to do a much better job of making me like Him then I can ever try to do on my own. I am grateful that in my uncleanness He made me clean, and I am thankful that I am justified before Him once and for all.
I pray my children feel His love through me…
Faith, Family, Dance, and Lemonade 