Empathy is putting yourself in someone else's place in order to
comprehend the other person's experience and understand how you would
like to be treated. It is one outreach of Love. Empathy is a major
character quality of civilization as opposed to anarchy. It is a
barometer of law and order. It is the standard of judgment against
violence and terrorism. It is the building block of family and community.
We should see it early in infants who delight in peek-a-boo and in youth
who put out a helping hand to a fallen playmate. It should shine through
the machismo of our gaming teenagers. It is the essence of Christ's
command that we love each other as ourselves and do unto others as we
would have others do to us. The world calls it "The Golden Rule." Many
writers proclaim that all religions teach it.
Empathy does not breed contempt but seeks to aid and encourage the other.
It cures racism. Empathy is acquired by experiencing it from empathetic
parents, family and mentors. It is caught, not taught. So real
civilization fosters it. Authorities with empathy are slow to anger,
seeking to be constructive and able to forgive. Empathy abounds in real
education. It is the cornerstone of character training. Empathy puts
compassion into government and cuts off "red tape". It is found in
representative government like a republic but it is rare in dictatorships
and central control systems like Communism or the Taliban.
Empathy originates, in purest form, in God whose "mercy endures forever."
He put Himself in our place.
So empathy is receiving God's LOVE by loving Him and in turn loving
others as yourself. It is a channel for receiving LOVE, JOY and
PEACE. And the miracle is that this occurs even during war and in the
face of terrorism. Recall that the heavenly host proclaimed "peace on the
earth to men of good will." That was just before the terrorist, King
Herod, slaughtered the innocent babies to try and hold his crown.