In addition to the critical component of humility in the heart of a bond-servant of Christ, another essential character trait is that of having a heart of genuine concern for the welfare of others.
Paul opens his letter to the church at Philippi with “Paul and Timothy, bond-servants [doulos] of Christ Jesus”. In the second chapter in verses 19-21 Paul contrasts the “interests” of a bond-servant with the “interests” of most other people. And it appears to be precisely this: most people seek after and focus on taking care of and watching out for their own personal interests. There is an additional contrast set up in this passage and that is comparing most peoples’ self-seeking of their own interests with that of Christ Jesus. Paul does not specifically say what the interests of Christ Jesus are in this passage but by observing what Paul is saying about Timothy it is clear that the interests of Christ Jesus are the same as that of Timothy. Better said, the interests of Timothy are identical with the interests of Christ Jesus: i.e. genuine concern for the welfare of others.
There are numerous examples in the Gospels of the writers saying of Jesus that he “felt compassion” [see Mark 1:40-41, Matt 14:14, 15:22, 20:29-34, Mark 6:34, Luke 7:12-15] What does it mean to “feel” compassion? A dictionary definition defines this noun as sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings and misfortunes of others. Is it the same as expressing empathy or sympathy which have somewhat similar but not identical meanings? “Pathy” comes from the Greek word “pathos” or feeling, or suffering. “Sym” means together as in sym-phony [to make sounds/music together]. Empathy means to feel with as well as for someone or thing, or, the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Sympathy has been described as having feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else’s misfortune. Diffen describes the two words with this difference: “Empathy is the ability to experience the feelings of another person. It goes beyond sympathy, which is caring and understanding for the suffering of others. Both words are used similarly and often interchangeably [incorrectly so] but differ subtly in their emotional meaning”. Thus, both words provide useful descriptions in English of the experience we feel when we are moved by a wave of concern, and a drive to do something about the condition, or status of another human being [or even an animal]. Thus, according to Diffen, the difference between the words sympathy and empathy is an emotional difference. Sympathy describes what we feel for a person who is suffering, whereas empathy describes what we feel when we have experienced what the other person has also experienced, i.e. an identification with the other’s suffering or condition. It might be said that compassion is something we experience in our emotional mind regarding the condition of another, especially when that “other” is either not aware of his/her or its condition, or even if aware is unable to escape their condition on their own. Our “emotional” mind must be guided by our “rational” mind so that the expression of our compassion is done in a way that is in the best interest of the recipient of our expression. Perhaps our “rational” mind is where we sense sympathy and our “emotional” mind is where we experience feelings of empathy. It seems then, that God through Christ has feelings of sympathy for us as his suffering and fallen creatures but also because of the incarnation, He can show us that He feels empathy for us, not only sympathy, since He, through His Son, has experienced not just observed, our pitiful state of suffering, struggle, and temptation It is a very powerful motivation and enduring inspiration to understand the deep and genuine concern the Lord Jesus has for each of His children and those who are not yet his children. When you and I understand more fully the irrevocable love of Christ for us, that His love is immovable, enduring, persevering and a love coming from the heart of the God who will never abandon us, we can begin to be freer to allow our Lord to develop within us a heart that is genuinely concerned for others, since we know our heavenly Father will always be there for us. “..be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us”..[Ephesians 5; 1-2]. “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”. [Romans 8:37-39 NASB emphasis added]
A boatload of encouragement and inspiration can be found in such verses. I have found that memorizing Romans 8:28-39 and reciting them frequently is a source of great strength, comfort and empowerment for my daily life resulting in increased desire to become more of a genuinely caring person. No doubt others over the centuries have drawn great strength from those same passages.
If you are like most people, you have experienced, to a lesser or greater degree, emotionally painful events in your past. Have those experiences prompted you to become a more genuinely caring and compassionate person or have they hardened you and caused you to close up emotionally? Can an emotionally closed person fulfill and live out Paul’s instruction in Romans 12:15: “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep”? How deep in your own heart is your concern for others? Whatever level of concern is present within you, is it genuine?
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