from the Argus Observer
Cooks Corner: Understanding and empathy
By Pastor Tom Cook
Friday, September 21, 2007 11:38 AM PDT
A store owner put a sign up in the window that read: “Puppies For Sale.” Signs like that have a way of getting the attention of children, and sure enough, a little boy asked, “How much are you going to sell the puppies for?” The store owner replied, “Anywhere from $30 to $50.”
The boy reached in his pocket and pulled out some change. “I have $2.37,” he said. “Can I please look at them?”
The store owner smiled and whistled, and out of the kennel came a dog that ran down the aisle of the store followed by five tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging behind, limping. “What’s wrong with that little dog?” he asked. The store owner explained that the vet had examined the little puppy and had discovered it had a deformed hip socket, it would always limp.
The little boy became excited. “That is the little puppy that I want to buy.” The store owner said, “No, son, you don’t want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I’ll just give him to you.” The boy grew upset and said “I don’t want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as the other dogs and I’ll pay full price. I’ll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for.”
The owner said, “Son, you really don’t want to buy this dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies.” To this, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a small left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the owner and softly replied, “Well, I don’t run so well myself, and that puppy will need someone who understands.”
Understanding is not the process of looking into someone else’s head or psychoanalyzing them. I’m not certain whether empathy causes understanding or understanding causes empathy, but they are certainly related to each other.
We can empathize with almost everyone because we are all faced with the same temptations and problems in life.
Just as the lad in the above story could relate to the small dog, we too can relate to each other. We are not alone.
“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” Romans 15:1
Now that is something to think about!
Cook’s Corner is written by Tom Cook, pastor at the Nyssa Church of the Nazarene.
