Have you noticed the lack of compassion and empathy for others these days? This is something that has really been on my heart lately. I’m not able to pinpoint when it all began, but it seems to be getting worse and more prevalent as the years pass.

While both words refer to “caring responses to someone else’s distress,” the definitions for compassion and empathy differ. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, here are the definitions.

Compassion is a “sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.”

Empathy is “the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another.”

The evolution of social media has taken this lack of these traits to an entirely new level. For instance, someone comes across a horrific car accident and takes pictures of the scene. Then, they upload it to social media without even considering whether or not there may have been a fatality. I could think of nothing worse than being notified of a loved one’s death on social media, just so someone could be the first one to post a picture and have their “15 minutes of fame.”

It seems like everyone is recording everything on their phones. Fights and confrontations; social media “challenges” where people are hurting random strangers for the attention; a fire that destroys someone’s home; severe weather devastates a city; all uploaded for “likes,” “clicks,” and “views.”

Then you have simple, every day courtesies that have all but disappeared. For instance, the seemingly insatiable desire to be first all the time; merging in a long line traffic where there is always that “one” who speeds ahead of all the cars just to save a few minutes; holding a door open for someone; or cleaning up after oneself. The list could go on and on.

While I don’t have the answers, the Bible is very clear on being how we are to behave towards others.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 (ESV)

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)

When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36 (CSB)

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 1 Thessalonians 5:11-14 (ESV)

This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’ Zechariah 7:9-10 (NIV)

One of my favorite quotes doesn’t come from the Bible, but it resonates with me and I have used it in my email signature for years.

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle you know nothing about.

While the quote has been attributed to different people throughout the years (Socrates, Plato, Ian Maclaren), I think Jesus would approve. To answer the question at the beginning…who cares??!! I care, and I know Jesus does!!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You so much for the person reading this. Please show all of us how we can be more compassionate and empathetic towards each other. Give us patience for others, and keep us mindful of Jesus’s instructions in Matthew 7:12, So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. It is in His precious Name that we pray, Amen.