Christ-like empathy

I'm selfish with my emotions. I don't have empathy for people. It's not that I don't want to. It's just that emotions do not come to the surface when relating to other people. The only exception is when I see children in pain.

My theory is that because my parents got divorced when I was 4, my empathetic emotional growth was cut off at that point. But that's no excuse. Matthew 22:36-40 says to "Love your neighbor as yourself."

I need to stop disliking myself first; then my neighbors would benefit too. My 6-year-old son has a lot more empathy that I do. I could take a lesson from him. I'm going to smile in my interactions with people today -- remember to smile -- that, and remembering that everyone is a part of His creation, might get me to Christ-like empathy.