Tag Archives: Empathy

Devotional, Series

KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTIAN, Part 19: Don’t Withhold Grace

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Read Matthew 5:43–48

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
“O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what God requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8 NLT)

We’ve all seen those bumper stickers and church signs urging us to “Keep Christ in Christmas.” Well-intentioned? Sure. But often missing the mark? Absolutely. They focus on preserving a commercialized image of “baby Jesus” rather than embracing the full, transformative power of Christ in our lives. The real challenge isn’t just keeping Christ in a holiday—it’s keeping Christ in Christian.

Image: AI-generated by Rev. Todd R. Lattig using Adobe Firefly and modified by the author.

Part 19: Don’t Withhold Grace. In the wake of President Donald J. Trump’s inauguration, the National Cathedral held its traditional interfaith prayer service—an event deeply rooted in American religious custom. Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde offered a reflection that day, standing before a sanctuary full of dignitaries, including the newly inaugurated president. She didn’t grandstand. She didn’t ridicule. She simply made a pastoral appeal: “In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy on the people in our country who are scared now.” She spoke of LGBTQ+ people, of immigrants, of refugees fleeing war—real people with real fears. It was a call for compassion, not condemnation. (PBS NewsHour)

But grace was not what she received.

President Trump dismissed the service on Truth Social as “boring,” labeled Bishop Budde a “so-called bishop,” and called her a “Radical Left hard-line Trump hater.” He also demanded an apology—reportedly because he believed she had embarrassed the nation. Evangelical leaders chimed in, with Pastor Robert Jeffress claiming Budde “insulted rather than encouraged our great president,” and a Republican Congressman suggesting she should be “added to the deportation list.” Yes—deportation—for praying for mercy.

Let that sink in.

This is a moment the Church must not ignore. Because the issue is not partisanship—it’s discipleship. It’s about whether Christians, especially, but not limited to, those with platforms and influence, will reflect the grace of Christ—or withhold it when it’s politically inconvenient.

Let’s contrast that moment with Rev. Franklin Graham’s prayer at the inauguration—one filled with calls for God’s protection and guidance for President Trump. That prayer had its place, and no one faulted him for offering it. But where was the accompanying call for justice, mercy, or humility? Where was Micah 6:8?

The real contrast isn’t one preacher versus another. It’s about how the Church chooses to show up. Do we offer grace only when it aligns with our worldview? Do we support leaders with unconditional affirmation, but condemn pastors who dare speak truth to power?

To make matters worse, we’re now in an era where empathy itself is mocked. Elon Musk has described empathy as a kind of civilizational weakness—suggesting that misplaced compassion can lead to societal decline and even “civilizational suicide.” He’s argued that we often direct empathy toward the wrong people or causes, and in doing so, we undermine collective strength. Disturbingly, this framing has begun to echo within some Christian circles, where empathy is being viewed as counterproductive or even dangerous.

Joe Rigney, Fellow of Theology at New Saint Andrews College and Associate Pastor at Christ Church, explores this very idea in his book The Sin of Empathy: Compassion and Its Counterfeits. In it, Rigney argues that unchecked empathy can distort Christian truth, framing it as a temptation rather than a virtue. When did Christlikeness become a weakness? When did mercy become controversial?

Jesus wept with the grieving. He touched the untouchable. He forgave his executioners. The Church cannot claim to follow Christ and simultaneously call for deportation when a bishop prays for compassion. We cannot cheer prayers for power while booing prayers for mercy.

Grace is not optional. It’s not something we ration out based on who we think deserves it. The moment we start doing that, we’ve stopped following Jesus and started following something else entirely.

That truth has been the driving thread through every part of this series. Keeping Christ in Christian is not about slogans or seasonal posturing. It’s about re-centering our lives—our communities—on the radical, often uncomfortable grace of Christ. And if we really mean to keep Christ in Christian, then we must allow that grace to shape not just our beliefs, but our actions, our speech, our silence, and how we treat those who challenge us.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Grace isn’t deserved—no one deserves or earns grace—rather, it is God’s free gift and can only be received or rejected. The choice is ours to make, and it will forever change the trajectory of our lives.

PRAYER
Gracious God, we confess that too often we withhold the very grace You poured out so freely. Help us not only to receive it but to reflect it—to extend mercy where there is pain, love where there is hatred, and truth where there is silence. Let us never trade our witness for comfort or our calling for allegiance to anyone but Christ. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Devotion written by Rev. Todd R. Lattig with the assistance of Perplexity AI.

Devotional, Series

KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTIAN, part 10: Don’t Prioritize Dogma Over Relationships

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Read Matthew 23:23-24

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” (John 13:34 NLT)

We’ve all seen the bumper magnets and bulletin signs urging us to “Keep Christ in Christmas.” While well-intentioned, this phrase often misses the mark. It focuses on preserving a commercialized image of “baby Jesus” rather than embracing the full, transformative power of Christ in our lives. The real challenge we face isn’t just keeping Christ in a holiday—it’s keeping Christ in Christian.

Image: AI-generated by Rev. Todd R. Lattig using Adobe Firefly and modified by the author.

Part 10: Don’t Prioritize Dogma Over Relationships: In the 2003 film “Luther,” there’s a powerful scene where Martin Luther (played by Joseph Fiennes) confronts the harsh dogma of his time. A young boy has committed suicide and is found hanging from scaffolding erected for repairs on the town’s church. The boy’s body is discovered suspended from one of the horizontal beams, creating a stark and haunting image that underscores the tragedy of the situation.

According to church doctrine, suicides were considered damned and couldn’t be buried in consecrated ground. In a defiant act of compassion, Luther insists on burying the boy in the Christian cemetery, declaring it was the devil’s work that killed the boy, not God’s judgment.

While this specific incident is a dramatic interpretation rather than historical fact, it powerfully illustrates the conflict between rigid dogma and compassionate relationships. The scene captures the essence of Luther’s more nuanced views on suicide, even if it takes some artistic liberties.

Historically, Luther did express more compassionate views on suicide than the prevailing Catholic doctrine of his time. In his Table Talk, Luther is recorded as saying that those who commit suicide are “blinded by the devil” and shouldn’t be judged too harshly. He emphasized the personal struggle with the devil and God’s ultimate intentions for individuals, rather than blanket condemnation.

Luther didn’t campaign to change burial practices for suicides, but his teachings laid the groundwork for a more nuanced understanding of mental health and divine mercy. This historical context, combined with the film’s dramatization, provides a rich illustration of prioritizing relationships and compassion over strict adherence to dogma.

As Christians, we often face similar conflicts between our doctrinal beliefs and the messy realities of human relationships. We might be tempted to cling to rigid interpretations of scripture or church traditions at the expense of showing Christ’s love to those who are hurting or marginalized.

Jesus himself often prioritized relationships and compassion over strict adherence to religious law. He healed on the Sabbath, touched those considered unclean, and ate with sinners – all actions that scandalized the religious authorities of his time. These authorities even went so far as to judge Jesus as being a glutton and a drunkard because of his scandalous associations (Matthew 11:19). In Matthew 23:23-24, Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for their meticulous adherence to minor points of the law while neglecting “the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith.”

This doesn’t mean that doctrine is unimportant. Our beliefs shape our actions and our understanding of God. However, when we allow our dogma to become a barrier to showing Christ’s love, we’ve missed the point entirely. As Jesus said, the greatest commandments are to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40).

In our churches and communities today, we often face situations where our doctrinal positions conflict with showing compassion and building relationships. This is particularly evident in how we respond to LGBTQIA+ individuals. As an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church and an ally, I’ve witnessed firsthand the devastating damage done by prioritizing dogma over love and inclusion. The recent positive changes in the UMC regarding LGBTQIA+ inclusion represent a step towards prioritizing relationships over outdated interpretations of doctrine.

Similarly, we see this tension in how we treat migrants, including those who are undocumented. Christ’s command to welcome the stranger often conflicts with political ideologies that have seeped into church doctrine. We must ask ourselves: are we more concerned with enforcing human-made borders or with showing Christ’s borderless love?

This extends to how we treat people of other nations and faiths. Do we allow our national or religious identity to create barriers, or do we follow Christ’s example of crossing cultural and religious boundaries to show love and compassion?

In these moments, we must ask ourselves: Are we prioritizing our dogma over our relationships? Are we more concerned with being right than with showing Christ’s love? The answer to these questions will determine whether we truly keep Christ in “Christian.”

Let us strive to follow Christ’s example of radical love and compassion. May we hold our beliefs with humility, always ready to extend grace and understanding to others. Like Luther, may we be willing to challenge harmful dogmas when they conflict with the core message of God’s love and mercy.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
“Doctrine is nothing but the skin of truth set up and stuffed.” – Henry Ward Beecher

PRAYER
God, help us to hold our beliefs with humility and to always prioritize love and compassion in our relationships with others. May we never let our dogma become a barrier to showing Your love to those around us. Guide us in discerning when to stand firm in our convictions and when to extend grace and understanding. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Devotion written by Rev. Todd R. Lattig with the assistance of Perplexity AI.

Devotional

Broken Princess

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Read Colossians 3:12-13

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God” (1 John 3:18–19 NLT).

Again, I cannot even begin to put into words how amazing Season 11 of The Walking Dead was, not just in terms of entertainment value, but in terms of human and theological insight. The richness of the characters, the trials they have to endure, and the way faith guides them is just second to no other show I have seen. No, The Walking Dead is not a religious show. No, it is not a show centered on theology; however, it is a FAITH-BASED show in the sense that faith is one of the CENTRAL themes of the show.

Case in point, in Episode 19 of Season 11, at around 25 minutes give or take, we come across the character, Princess, talking with Ezekiel. Princess is a young woman who joined Alexandria, the community that the main characters of the show built up. She was found by herself, a sole-survivor, and was taken in by the Alexandrians. NOTE: Alexandria is called that because it is located in what used to be Alexandria, VA, outside of Washington, D.C., prior to the Zombie Apocalypse.

In this scene, Princess was trying to talk Ezekiel into leaving the Commonwealth, a community the Alexandrians left for thinking it would be a great place to live, as it was run much like the “old world” (aka the USA before the Zombie Apocalypse). The Commonwealth was well run, had a military force, and everyone within its walls seem happy, healthy, and oblivious to the world outside its walls. Yet, as Princess and the rest of the Alexandrians found out, there was more there than meets the eye.
Without spoiling anything, just like it was in the “old world”, the Commonwealth was nothing more than a ruse to keep the masses happy while those in power keep themselves wealthy and in control. There was corruption and there was a true lack of care for the lives of the common people. As is the case across the world, politics provide faux hope to the masses.

Princess, knowing this, was trying to talk Ezekiel into leaving; however, Ezekiel was a leader and an empath as well. He cared for the people he had come to know and he didn’t want to abandon them just because the world they lived in was corrupt. He felt they were worth fighting for and was willing to do what it took to make the Commonwealth better for all.

“How about Mercer, you think he’s a good man,” Ezekiel asked Princess, hoping that bringing her boyfriend up would make her reconsider leaving. “Yeah,” she responded while nodding hesitantly, “I think he is. But I’ve also known a lot of men I thought were good, and it doesn’t always turn out that way.”

“[Mercer] and I haven’t always seen eye to eye, but I will say this: Most folks are trying to make the best of what’s in front of them,” Ezekiel said. “It could be he’s trying to do the same.”

Princess looked up, broken and torn, tears in her eyes, “Yeah, well maybe this time I deserve more than the best of a bad situation.”

Ezekiel looked at her, “Yeah you do”, he said with empathy as he approached her and gently put his hand on her shoulder. “And whatever you decide, I’m here if you need me.” Ezekiel then walked away to leave her to have some alone time. In that situation, Ezekiel saw Princess through the eyes of God. He saw her pain, her suffering, her desire for more than “the best of a bad situation”, and he affirmed that, indeed, she was WORTH far more than that!

In that moment, the show taught us something that the Bible teaches us. It taught us that humans are broken and want to be UNBROKEN. We want an end to the suffering, the sadness, the pain, the turmoil, the politics, the greed, the bitterness, the hate. We want to live in a world where WE are included for who we are, as opposed to who someone else wants us to be. We want to live in a world where our pain is seen and CARED FOR, rather than ignored and invalidated.

The Bible, and this episode, show us the way to begin that kind of transformation in the world. In the show, it is shown through Ezekiel, who is the presence of God in that moment for broken Princess. And his message: people are worth fighting for…including you, Princess. And I am here if you need me! He heard her and LOVED her and opened his heart to her.

For us, as witnessed to in the Bible, that transformation happens when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. It is then that the Holy Spirit helps us to see people through Jesus Christ’s eyes, as well as guides us to follow his example in LOVING them through our presence and our ability to listen and hear where they are coming from. True healing can only come through humble listening and empathy. Jesus, of course, IS our perfect model for what being compassionate, humble, servants is all about. If we follow him, he will continually lead us to be more and more like him and we, too, can have the effect that Ezekiel has on people in the show.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
“Empathy begins with understanding life from another person’s perspective. Nobody has an objective experience of reality. It’s all through our own individual prisms.” – Sterling K. Brown

PRAYER
Lord, help me to grow in compassion, empathy, and in being present for those lost, the broken, and any who are in need. Amen.

Devotional

Priesthood

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Read 1 Peter 2:1-5

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
“And You have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:10)

It is always hard dealing with the changes and the challenges that life throws our way. Just when everything seems to settle, the smoke clears, and life seems to be going the way we expect it, that is the moment another catastrophe or unexpected tragedy hits us. In the midst of that, we are left behind scratching our heads, beating our chests, and crying out to God for an answers as to WHY these things happen.

Of course, there is no answer to the question, “why”, that would ever satisfy us in moments of tragedy, loss and grief. Honestly, even if there was a REALLY good reason as to why, it would do us no good in removing the pain we feel. The fact of the matter is that we spend our lives building relationships, growing to love and care for people and, in the midst of that, time flies by and life happens. Before we know it the people we love, the homes we have made, and the lives we have built seem to come crashing down all around us with little or notice whatsoever.

As a person who has served as a youth pastor, a senior pastor, and a chaplain in a Continuing Care Retirement Community, I have seen people I have grown to love and deeply respect go through tough illnesses, life-altering/life-threatening accidents, and terminal diseases. I have sat with youth who are suffering depression, whose parents are going through divorce and a host of other issues. On the one hand, it is what I do and I am thankful to God that I get to serve in such a capacity as I know it means the world to those who are in need of pastoral presence and prayer.

With that said, pastors and chaplains are human too, and we also find ourselves struggling to process the tragedies, the trials, the loss, and the grief that life throws our way, even when we are simultaneously offering our support and presence to others who are going through the same exact process. What’s more, as a human being, I have had my share of losses that are not connected with my vocation. I have lost family members I was close to, I have lost friends, and I have lost my own self-identity at points. I have struggled through illnesses of my own, I have suffered depression, and I have had my share of life-threatening accidents that, one day, I may very well suffer more consequences from.

It is in that very human experience that we have ALL been given a tremendous gift and a tremendous responsibility. As humans, we are are able to relate with others as result of our own personal experiences. We are able to be there for others because we can understand what they are going through, even when our own circumstances don’t match theirs entirely. It is in our humanity, that we have been given the power to relate and to empathize with people.

I recently was shown a YouTube video that nicely sums up the difference between Sympathy and Empathy. Sympathy is feeling sorry for people from a distance. We keep that distance to prevent ourselves from being in the darkness, the loss, the grief, the suffering with the people we are sympathizing with. Empathy on the other hand, is being present with people in the midst of their despair, joining them in that despair and shouldering that despair with them so that they do not suffer alone.

This is certainly what pastors, myself included, do in our ministries; however, this is not a roll that is specific only to pastors and clergy but a roll that all people are called to partake in. God, in Jesus Christ, suffered in all the ways common to the human experience, empathizes with us, and helps us to shoulder the things we are struggling with. So to, God calls us all to minister to one another in order that no one suffers alone. The Gospel, and the Bible as a whole, witness to the priesthood of all believers. We are all ordained by God to minister to one another and, in that ministry, we are to be a people of empathy, not sympathy.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
“The priest is not made. One must be born a priest; must inherit [the] office. I refer to the new birth—the birth of water and the Spirit. Thus all Christians [are] priests, children of God and co-heirs with Christ the Most High Priest. – Rev. Martin Luther

PRAYER
Lord, put in my heart your compassion and your empathy so that I may share in the suffering of others as I bear witness to your presence in their lives and in their struggles. Amen.

Devotional

15 Ailments of the Church #11: Being Indifferent to Others

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Read Revelation 3:1-6, 14-22

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE

“So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” (James 2:17 NLT)

We live a world of coup d’état. Every time we turn around people are being undercut, taken out of the way, disposed of and replaced by people who don’t seem to be any better than the ones they’ve replaced. All anyone has to do is to turn on the news to see plenty of examples of this happening, especially in American politics. People who would otherwise be political allies are throwing each other under the bus in order to win an election and/or make political gains. Of course, in world and/or national politics this sort of thing is expected. What’s sad is that it has become expected over the years in the Christian church as well. This leads us to Pope Francis I’s 11th Ailment of the church.

11th Ailment of the Church: Being indifferent to others. If one were to ask a Christian what the mission and purpose of the church is, my guess is that “being indifferent to others” wouldn’t even make the list! Jesus certainly wasn’t indifferent to others. He may not have liked everyone he came into contact with, he may not have agreed with everything everyone believed, and he definitely got angry with certain people and certain angers; however, Jesus was NEVER, EVER indifferent to them.

Many people think that hatred is the opposite of love. The truth is that hatred is NOT the opposite of love. In fact, sometimes there is an extremely fine line between love and hate. They are too close to each other, emotionally speaking, for them to be opposites. What is truly opposite of love is apathy. Apathy is literally a lack of care, enthusiasm, interest and/or concern. In other words, apathy is indifference and indifference is ultimately the opposite of empathy which is closely related to sympathy and includes the following attributes: compassion, care, solicitude, affinity, concern, etc. In reality, apathy is the opposite of love.

Yet, the church often fails to have empathy and often falls into the category of apathy. People have too often been used as a means to an end rather than being the end unto themselves. People with in the church have cut other church members down in order to advance their agendas, their positions and/or their beliefs. The church has cut different groups of people down, apathetic to whether or not their actions are damning or damaging to the people who fall beneath their judgment. Individual Christians and churches alike will often justify not helping someone because of excuses they come up with that, consciously or unconsciously, are really nothing more than constructed walls to hide an underlying apathy for the people they are avoiding helping.

Jesus is calling the church back to empathy. That doesn’t mean that the church will agree with everything, or that it will affirm everything…but that in all things, in agreement or disagreement, the church will both care enough to RESPOND and to RESPOND LOVINGLY. A loving response is not necessarily a a response of love or affirmation…but one that seeks to build the other up, even when it requires a bit of tearing down. Christ wants a church that is engaged with and active among others, as opposed to just being a country club that is engaged and active with itself. That kind of activity serves no purpose, but the kind Christ seeks IS THE PURPOSE of the church. Don’t undercut, don’t view people as disposable, removable, and/or replaceable. Don’t seek to use people, indifferently, as a means to an end, but view people as the end unto themselves. Be engaged and be active in ways that show the empathy, love, compassion, care, concern, and solicitude of Christ our Lord.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
“I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.” – Jesus, the risen Christ (Revelation 3:19 NLT)

PRAYER
Lord, I never wish to be indifferent or apathetic. Spark in me a passion to act according to your will. Amen.