1. Those close to you won’t always understand or even empathise with you. They’re only human.
Gently correct their mistakes and forgive their blunders. You’ll feel lighter.
2. Your journey is your own. Pay attention to your mind-set so your beliefs leave room for love, healing, and salvation in your life and the lives of those you meet.
3. You can act from love or you can act from fear, but you can’t do both at the same time.
Pray for grace to always, always act from love.
4. You don’t know what other people grapple with in their hearts and what drives them to their knees.
Be kind, be loving, and listen when they open up to you. Listening might be all they need right then.
Empathy is key, people.
5. When in doubt, gather more information before you make a snap judgement.
You can’t call back what you say or undo what you do, so be careful in all you say and do.
I choose to be empathetic because I know the difference it would’ve made to me in the past, and I know the difference it makes to me now.
We are called to be children of God, and part of that is learning basic human skills so we can connect with the people we minister to, listen to, and speak to, so we can speak from love and not a misguided attempt to “help” or correct the other person.
Living as Christians means becoming more Christlike, so WWJD?
Seriously, What Would Jesus Do? Would He say or do what you’ve just said or done?
I believe we need to be more discerning and loving so we don’t alienate people who’re in real pain and in need of healing.
You can’t uplift, encourage, or inspire anyone you’ve alienated, and that’s the honest truth.
I want to see a world of more empathetic listeners. Downplaying real pain because of your personal beliefs just hurts the other person and adds to their burden.
The art of listening means resisting the urge to bombard them with platitudes when life gets rough.
Can we just not fill the space with white noise and take the time to listen instead?
Empathy is walking in their shoes and showing love in that moment.
Be encouraging instead of judging. Don’t know what to say?
“Thank you for opening up to me. I don’t know what to say but I’ll support you as best as I can.”
It’s not your place to discount their experience because you feel there’s something they’re not doing or believing.
At the end of the day, we’re all on different journeys. You never know what people are going through, learning from, or rising above.
Flippant remarks puncture holes in a spirit that’s already bleeding.
Again, empathy, empathy, empathy. What you believe should make you more empathetic, not less.
Are you adding to or taking away from the love and support a hurting person needs?
Think about that the next time someone opens up to you.
Be a pillar, not a wrecking ball.
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