Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies. Hebrews 13:3

There is no clearer statement of empathy anywhere than what is found in the scriptures. “Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself.” Well wait a minute … they are in prison. How do you get in prison? You break the law. You steal something or kill someone or rape someone and any number of criminal activities. And we’re supposed to remember them as if we were there with them? Why? We’re supposed to have empathy toward criminals?

Judgmental Christians are having a hard time with empathy right now because empathy would call them to care for people they hate, like illegal immigrants, gays, transgenders, colored people (assuming they are white) and women’s rights advocates, to name just a few.

Well what horrible thing have they gotten away with simply because they hid it, or thought it, but didn’t actually do it? So what? Jesus says the thought is the same thing as the action. Are we not all guilty? Do we not all wish for someone to know our sin and have empathy for us? Are we going to dole out grace only to those who we think deserve it, when no one does?

And what does Hebrews say we should feel about those who are mistreated? That we should feel their pain in our own bodies! You can’t get any closer than that.

No matter what you hear from other Christians or Christian leaders these days, we, as followers of Jesus, must take up empathy toward everyone. Now.