Deputy Matt Holman saved the life of a homeless man staggering toward destruction.

His name was Robert Morris. He’d lost his family, become an addict, and was living in a tent in the woods … until it was washed away late one night in a flood.

As Mr. Morris reported in a recorded 911 call, he was “messed up on drugs and alcohol and soaking wet” when Deputy Holman spotlighted him at 2:30 in the morning.

After a long conversation, Deputy Holman made an incredible sacrifice that God used to give Mr. Morris a new life in this world … and eternal life in the world to come.

As you watch the following video clip describing their encounter, note how beautifully Deputy Holman models The Seven Steps to Empathy:

• Enlist all of your faculties
• Move in physically, verbally, and emotionally
• Pray for discernment
• Ask caring questions
• Think deliberately
• Help in meaningful ways
• Yield your convenience, pride, and resources

What would the world be like if more people responded to the needs of hurting people with the kind of empathy and sacrifice modeled by Deputy Holman? What would your world be like if you responded to people that way?

With God’s help, you can. Pray daily that he would continue his work of transforming your heart through the love of Christ and the power of his Holy Spirit (Eph. 3:14-19).

One way to cooperate with this transforming process would be to meditate on the Scripture passages and practice the principles set forth in The Seven Steps to Empathy and, if you have kids, How to Raise Empathetic Children.

And then pray that God would give you eyes to see the opportunities he has already prepared for you to share his love and compassion with people you will encounter today (Eph. 2:10).

– Ken Sande

Reflection Questions

• Where are you most likely to encounter hurting, anxious or discouraged people today? How do you typically respond to them?
• Think of a recent encounter with someone whose life was messed up. How did you respond? If you could do it over, what would you do differently?
• What quality did you see in Deputy Holman that you’d like God to develop more fully in your life?
• How did Deputy Holman practice The Seven Steps of Empathy? How did he practice the five elements of the SERVE principle?

Permission to distribute: Please feel free to download, print, or electronically share this message in its entirety for non-commercial purposes with as many people as you like.

© 2016 Ken Sande

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