comic by Paul Noth
“Isn’t that what empathy is? Putting myself in someone else’s shoes with the knowledge and awareness that I, too, am human and, therefore, susceptible to this tragedy or any number of tragedies along the way?”
-Everything is Horrible and Wonderful by Stephanie Wittels Wachs
Is that what the apostle Paul means in Galatians 6:1 when he says:
“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself."
This is why it bothers me when someone is discussing a scandal in the church and they say “how come someone do something like that?” In reality, we’re all 10 steps away from making a horrible decision that ruins our lives. No one wakes up on a random Tuesday and thinks “I’m going to steal a bunch of money today” or “I’m going to cheat on my wife.” It’s a series of small steps that we might not even notice we’re taking.
Respond in love and empathy because we’re all broken and sinful and it could easily be you in that situation.