It can be surprising the amount of teachings you can find in the Old Testament! Today I studied about empathy by reading the book of Ezekiel.
The Lord was angry with two nations because
they were mean to Jerusalem (Ezekiel 26:1-3) and the sons of Israel (Ezekiel
35:3-5). Ezekiel was feeling sad because of them even though they did no good
to others. He was feeling empathy for them because he always knew how to love
others. I remember when I learned the meaning of empathy at school. The teacher
told me that when you put yourself in other’s shoes you can know how to help
them and how not to make them feel worse. Putting in someone’s shoes means that
you think of you as if you were living the tribulation and that makes you feel
as they are feeling. It doesn’t mean that you are going to live what they live
but you are going to feel as they would feel. Knowing this has made me be a
better person, and I always think of the consequences my acts or words will
bring others.
