Feeling Into

The English word empathy is actually a translation of the German word “Einfuhlung”, which basically means “feeling into.” It was coined and popularized by German aesthetic philosophers at the end of the nineteenth century to describe our capacity as humans to project ourselves into an object like a work of art and to feel the same kind of emotional landscape that the artist was feeling when they created the artwork. And if we are able to “feel into” a lifeless canvas covered in paint or a cold block of carved stone, how much more might we be able to “feel into” the emotional states of our fellow human beings, our brothers and sisters in the family of God? Jesus Christ was the ultimate example of “feeling into” what each and everyone of us is going through. “And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities. Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.” (Alma 7:11-13). I think that part of the way that Christ was able to “know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities” was by “feeling into” or projecting Himself into our lives and feeling the pain and the anguish and the sickness that we felt. He knows exactly where to heal us because He knows exactly where we hurt because He has felt it in the flesh. Many of us may struggle to help others who we can see are suffering because we are afraid what words or actions we could provide that could make things better because we don’t know where or how it hurts and so we don’t know what might help. But if we can project ourselves into their lives and feel into their pain, then we will understand where it hurts and what would most help to make it better. Some of us see smoke pouring out of a house and wait outside with a bucket of water and shout in, let me know if you need anything, but if we are brave enough to enter that burning house and really feel all of the terror and the panic and most importantly actually see where the fire is at, then we can throw the bucket of water where it will do the most good. I know that Christ is the Master Healer and He knows perfectly how to succor His people because He has felt into our pain and knows it inside and out. Although we may not be as perfect as He is, we too have the capacity to feel our way into the lives of our brothers and sisters and know according to the flesh how to succor our brothers and sisters.