Forgiveness Starts With Empathy

In this world we will have pain.

I am not talking about just physical pain. I am talking about the mental, emotional and relational pain as a result of living with others.

Community is not optional.

One of the ways we could effectively prevent this pain is to not be around anyone. Some here would love this. People are hard work but if we are going to be obedient to Christ we must live in community.

Colossians 3:13 M:BCL

Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you.

Colossians 3:13 NIV

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Question: How do I forgive?

I am assuming we want to be the people God would have us to be. I am assuming because of our love for Jesus we want to do what Jesus commands us to do. I know some here do not know Jesus and that is wonderful. I want you to know the path required of any who would seek to follow Jesus. This path is a path of forgiveness.

Forgiveness is a process.

Forgiveness is not just something that always happens overnight. It is also not always a one time decision and act.

Forgiveness is NOT reconciliation.

We must be clear here. I can forgive but it doesn’t mean I still have a close knit relationship with the person I am forgiving, or any relationship with them.

Be on guard against justification.

The expert in the law had a great knowledge of what was required. My concern as your pastor is by the teaching and preaching ministry myself and many others have here we will have the knowledge of what we ought to do but seek to justify why we do not need to do it. This is especially true in the area of forgiveness.

We must act on the need.

We must see the need but in our story this morning each person saw what was going on. Each person had the truth about what was going on but only one did something about it.

Empathy helps us understand the other person.

Empathy is not just seeing a need but seeking to understand how the other person was experiencing the situation. Empathy is not just “pity” for another person but is typically quickly followed with compassion.

Empathy requires humility.

I struggled with wether it is empathy leading to humility or the other way around. The truth is they both are needed for one another. The Samaritan had to humble himself in a way to not just see a need, nor even maybe to empathize what happened, but also to do something about the need.

Pride is a barrier to forgiveness.

It may be thoughts like, “this is beneath me”, “They don’t deserve this” “I don’t want to get over this” “It hurts too much” for me to forgive. All these statements may be true and we cannot nor should we deny them but we need not ruminate, meditate, and focus on them.

Forgiveness is a gift to ourselves and others.

The Samaritan could feel good about himself because of the free gift given. However think with me how the Jews life was changed forever because of the gift.

Go and do!

May we be like the Samaritan. May we be like Jesus. May we be on the path of forgiveness today and always. Pray with me.