Under Valued gifts (4)

The Gift of Sympathy

According to the Apostle Paul sympathy should be the automatic outworking of the gospel. You can tell if someone’s life has been changed by Jesus because they show sympathy.

However, by sympathy I don’t mean the way it is often portrayed on TV. I’m talking about the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Technically sympathy involves more than empathy (feeling what other people feel), it also entails a positive concern for the well-being of the other person.

For example, instead of turning up at PBC thinking, “Wow, I’ve had a tough week at work, I’m going to sit back and receive encouragement this morning...” turn it the other way round - “Wow, I bet everyone else has had a tough week - how can I encourage them?”

Similarly instead of expecting others to cut me some slack because I’m new / sick / tired / a hassled parent ____ (fill in the blank) I’m going to cut everyone else some slack because they are all of the above, and more!

So here are some tips on how to develop this ministry. Anybody can do this:

• turn up early (before 9.30am) - think: if I was new to church, how would I like people to treat me?

• pray as I enter the building - how can I serve people this morning?

• look around you at those sitting near you - what are their needs?

• if someone is short with you, or doesn’t treat you as you would expect - think: is there a reason (I don’t know about) why they are acting like this?

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2: 3-4)