Empathy and pity

I have blogged in the past about my "gift" of empathy.  I am thankful for this trait, more and more as I get older.  I realize that God designed me to cry easily and feel things deeply.  I know that this helps to balance the other personalities in my home.  God just made me that way, so it is ok.  Pity is another thing.

I have discovered that while I am overly endowed with empathy, pity I am short on.  Situations that might otherwise bring about pity in other people's minds brings me to a point of frustration.  If it is a perfect stranger, I might be able to muster up some small amount of pity.  People I know, though, do not get that luxury.  I am frustrated with some family members whose behaviors are self-destructive.  I am bothered by other that seem not to care for themselves as much as others care for them.  I cannot tolerate it when friends make the same poor choices again and again.  Frustration- not pity.

I sure am glad that God does not look at me the same way.  His love for me is not based on anything I do or do not do well.  My decisions don't make Him love me less, my attitudes  don't erase my relationship with Him.  Realizing this forces me to think about my 'gifts'.  If I can be full of empathy, why not pity?  I have to work on this.  I have to become more like Christ, less like me.  My nature is selfish.  My flesh is full of flaws.  Good to remember when I start leaning to my own understanding.  More of Him...more of Him.