Empathetic or Narcissistic?

Notes from the Pastor…

John 7:53-8:11 is one of my favorite passages of Scripture; it is where Jesus says, “The one who is without sin throw the first stone.” (John 8:7) and “Neither do I condemn you.  Go,  from now on  sin no more.” (John 8:11)

First Jesus challenges the religious people to look on their neighbor with empathy; then with the same breath Jesus extends grace and confronts misdeeds to the one who needs empathy.  Concerning the first movement, I am at an intellectual loss and spiritually amazed at how Jesus harmonizes grace and confrontation.  But in the second movement, the challenge of empathy to those who are religiously acceptable, this subversive idea drives my love for the text.

At the Sermon on the Mount Jesus commands that we should not judge others, and judging others is the opposite of empathy.  When Jesus looks on the crowds at the feeding of the 5000 he is filled with compassion, and compassion and empathy are interrelated emotions.  The simple fact is, throughout the Jesus narrative we find our Christ behaving and teaching empathy  - experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and attitudes of another.

Recent research of Asperger syndrome is finding that empathy is as much physical as it is spiritual.  In fact, autistic individuals have less ability to ascertain others' feelings, but they demonstrate equal empathy when they are aware of others' states of mind.  Science is reporting that empathy is as natural as breathing, but there is one disorder that is defined as an unwillingness to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs
of others; that is, narcissistic personality disorder.  So this begs a question: If Christians are known for being judgmental, hateful, and hypocritical (2007 Barna poll of young adults) then do we suffer from narcissistic personality disorder?

Do we worry so much about being on the “in” that we forget what it feels like to be an outsider?  Do we attempt to sit as the judge when we really belong among the accused?

Yet Jesus says, “The one who is without sin throw the first stone.” and “Neither do I condemn you.  Go, from now on sin no more.”  I imagine the most powerful thing you and I can do to nurture the empathy within us is to apply a simple phrase to those we are tempted to judge: “Tell me your story.”        

Grace,
Pastor Ryan