08/22/2026
Title: Be an “ Empathetic Leader”
Rev. Jean Jules
Date: 8/7/2026
Scripture: Romans 9:1–5
I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel.
Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises.
It is imperative to be an empathetic leader if you want to serve God and his people.
How to be an empathetic leader?
Empathetic leadership goes beyond policy and management—it requires connecting with others' struggles, sitting in their grief, and allowing their stories to transform us. At Lazarus's tomb, Jesus exemplified this by weeping with Mary and Martha before performing a miracle. By validating pain through presence, leadership creates the shared vulnerability where trust and healing take root.
In Romans 9:1-5, Paul’s deep anguish models authentic spiritual leadership and communal love. By invoking the Holy Spirit to validate his conscience, he demonstrates that true intercession requires radical vulnerability and the bearing of others' spiritual burdens. This passage challenges us to move beyond distant empathy to sacrificially identify with our neighbors' struggles, recognizing that our spiritual journey is linked to our community's well-being.
To visualize this, consider a parent watching a child drift away from their family’s values and into harm’s way. The parent’s concern is not merely a distant worry; it is an "unceasing anguish"—a heavy burden carried daily. They would, in a heartbeat, trade their own comfort, their own peace, and even their own security if it meant shielding that child from heartbreak or guiding them back to safety. This is the intensity of Paul’s love: a sacrificial identification so complete that the welfare of his people matters more to him than his own spiritual standing.
What does it look like to pray for someone when it is inconvenient or uncomfortable?
Am I willing to enter the emotional space of those I pray for, or do I keep my prayers transactional?
Who in my life possesses a rich potential or history, yet currently feels distant from peace, grace, or faith?
This Day: Take a moment to write down the names of three people who are currently weighing on your heart. Instead of simply asking for their problems to be "fixed," commit to praying for them this week with the same depth of concern that Paul showed: not as a duty, but as an act of love.
