We're to be considerate of others. We're to put ourselves in their place! I grew up in Indiana, the son of poor Kentuckians. We went to Indiana because that's where the jobs were. I sported worn out jeans before they were in vogue! I was a trend-setter indeed. At one of my class reunions a former classmate, a daughter of a wealthy farmer said "I felt so sorry for you because you were so poor!" She "felt my pain", but actually there was little pain in being poor (outside of toothaches from having no dental care). She "did good" by feeling my pain. Many people aren't that considerate.
Some called this Kentuckian "hillbilly" in an attempt to humiliate me. Sometimes it did hurt, but oftentimes it was kidding. I'm not thin-skinned so there were many times being "called a stupid Kentuckian" just made me more determined. Those who ridiculed me never "felt my pain", so I'm careful now to not hurt others. I empathize!
Romans 12:15 ( ESV) "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep."
That's empathy! "Weeping with those who weep" is "feeling your pain!" Since we do feel the pain of others, we're to help out!
John 15:12 ( ESV) “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."
Helping out is charity. It's showing not only concern, but by doing do, love as well! Many of us are suffering. I have family members who burden my soul. My heart is heavy. They make wrong choices and heed not what God commands. I want them to have the joy of Jesus that I have. I want them in heaven with me, but alas, the choice is theirs. Many of you have the same burdens. Others are financially insecure and for others, it's their health or the health of their friends or families.
We're to "love" as "I (Christ) have loved you?" How's that? How did Christ love us? I mentioned the burden I have for my family. I said that I was worried about their eternal destiny. I have a burden for a few weighing on my heart, while Jesus had the burden of us all! Imagine the weighty grief he had.
1 John 2:2 (ESV) "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. "
Propitiation: Jesus willingly sacrificed himself in our place. He did that because he loved us and he died for the entire world. "He felt our pain!" Not only did Jesus carry a burden for our souls and offered himself instead, he physically felt the agony of death. Furthermore, for an instant, Jesus felt extreme aloneness. His Father, as part of the propitiation, abandoned him!
Mark 15:34 "And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, ... “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Jesus hurt. "He felt our pain!" Jesus died for us. John 15:12 he told us "love one another as I have loved you!" He loved us so much that although mankind spat upon him and ridiculed him, he still loved us. That's the love we're to show:
1 John 3:16 (ESV) "By this we know love, that he (Jesus) laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers."
Few risk their lives for others. Policemen do. Soldiers do. Paramedics do et al. However, for many of them, it's their job. Few do it out of love, but some do. Although many saints don't risk their lives, they do live their lives to help others because they're empathetic! Helping others won't get a person to heaven, but helping others is the outcome of Christ living in the Christian. We must love others because we're indebted to Christ and must love him for it. I say "must' in both occasions because it's a command!
We think of a "command" as such: "You have 30 seconds to quit hating John Jones and start loving him!" My point? Love can't be dictated, but Jesus did just that! We're called to love because we're not on our own! We have a spirit of love because Jesus is in our hearts! If we don't have that love, are we truly born again? The "command to love" best means to exercise the faith that is a gift to you. Exercising faith is the "work of faith". We can't love unless we endeavor to love by "feeling Jesus's pain" as he felt ours. By doing so, love should evolve!
1 Thessalonians 1:3 (ESV) "...remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."
You see here that you, the Christian must DO SOMETHING to love. It's called a "labor of love". It's done because of "your work of faith". You DO EXERCISE your faith by endeavoring to love. If you're sincere, the Holy Spirit makes that love possible!
In summary, since Christ felt your pain, you must remember the pain that he felt and love him for suffering for you! Furthermore, you must work on loving others by "feeling their pain". This love is the Command of Jesus! It takes working faith. Go for it!
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