By Ryan Kelly –

For those that know me, they know that empathy is not necessarily my strong suit. I deeply love others and I have a big heart for those that are truly less fortunate or have had hardship fall on them. However, I also tend to be a bit cynical of what I hear and critical of those who I feel have created their own hardships through a series of poor decisions.

But, is this the right attitude to have? I really don’t think it is. If the Lord had this same attitude toward us as His children, I doubt our prayers would be answered and our needs would be met. So if God looks past our faults and failures and has a huge amount of grace and mercy on us, why should I not grant this to others as well? I think I should.

Many of you may not have an issue with this, and I am thankful for that. It is a blessing to have empathy towards others and to show the love of Jesus at all times. If you are like me and struggle with this from time to time, let’s work to make 2025 a year where our empathy shines and we go the extra mile to show the light and love of Jesus to everyone, even if their struggles are by their own doing. After all, isn’t that the case with all of us in some way?

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15).