Joe and Jessa I have a friend who looks at her problems and compares them to mine! She minimizes her own struggles because she thinks my ALS is bigger! She is being gracious but I can also identify with her situations and feelings! A myriad of different circumstances can produce similar emotional reactions!

So often in life we have the tendency to evaluate people's reactions based on our personal scale of coping. We readily offer compassion if we personally identify with someone's story. On the other hand, we can lack empathy if we are not vulnerable in a similar situation! The objective should be to refer to points in our lives when we experienced the same emotional response in order to identify with them!

The basic needs of human hearts are the same! Tragedies simply exposes what we crave most! As we interact with the world around us I pray that we don't minimize the emotions of others. Ask questions, listen, comfort, aide, encourage, befriend and pray for people. When God puts an opportunity in front of us we need to be understanding!

Ephesians 4:32

Instead, be kind to each other,

tenderhearted,

forgiving one another,

just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Song Father's Eyes by Amy Grant