Former President Bill Clinton was very effective with his “I feel your pain” word track during his bid for the presidency. Many people were in economic distress at that time and they responded to his claim of empathy.
Our first job with a hurting associate, friend or neighbor is not to solve their problem. The job is instead to listen and feel. But before we can show empathy we need to have enough intimacy to know what is going on in their lives. Feeling someone’s pain means being in it with them. The well known Bible verse on “love” states that real love “bears all things… (and) endures all things.” Bearing and enduring are the heavy lifting of relationships. Yes, it is hard work but it is well worth the effort.
People in pain first and foremost need us to be a friend to them. James Taylor penned the words to a song this way: “When you’re down and troubled - and you need a helping hand - and nothing, no nothing is going right - call my name and think of me - and soon I will be there to brighten up you’re your darkest hour.” Cheesy? No, true.
(To be continued.)
