Empathy

Facebook periodically shows a post from years ago. Today it brought back what was probably my last handout at our yearly conference of Wisconsin United Methodists. The second of its two observations was about the need to add another source of authority or decision-making guide. What has come down to us are honored texts, established traditions, application of reason, and the value of personal experience (Scripture, Tradition, Reason, Experience). This fourth category of experience worked as a good balance to the weight of accumulated tradition in the same way that reason can temper scripture.

As the seasons change we have moved away from an emphasis on what holds us together, a commons of shared lives. The Declaration of Independence has moved from a national independence to an independence of an individual. We no longer understand that a variety of infrastructures supported by all provide a background for an individual success. Investment in the community is preyed upon rather than increased.

This personalization of independence has no check on it and is causing irreparable harm through fact-less conspiracies and a prioritizing of what’s-in-it-for-me. We have come to terms with multiple scriptures and traditions. They are no longer monoliths. My sense is that we are no longer dealing with reason as we focus on teaching-to-the-test. Likewise, experience has run amok by leading us to a smaller and smaller horizon as we dive to claim what-I-experience-you-should-experience.

To assist a broadening of reason and experience one significant corrective is that of Empathy. Both reason and experience benefit from considering the reasoning and experience of others. Empathy is a horizon-expanding quality or value and is much needed.

A luncheon conversation with a church leader led me to bring empathy into the conversation.

Now, to round out a trinity of references, this blog entry remembers an old position paper, a current conversation and places the question of empathy in your hands. What can you do to practice empathy and to assist others to see through an additional lens? Having established a “can”, the kicker is in the actual doing. Blessings on honoring the lives of others as the old saying still has some life — none are saved/healed without all being saved/healed.