He Walked In Our Shoes
I read an interesting article about David Dillard and his architect firm. He sends his young staff members out for a “sleepover” at a senior living center. They wear earplugs to simulate hearing loss and tape their fingers to limit manual dexterity. They do this to better understand the needs of those for whom they are designing housing. Dillard says, “The biggest benefit is that when I send 27 year- olds out, they come back with a heart 10 times as big. They meet people and understand their plights.”
That story reminds me a little of an old American Indian proverb; “Never criticize a man until you have walked a mile in his moccasins.” Dillard’s story and the proverb both teach the importance of understanding the needs of others. Thus, we come to the One who knows and understands best of all. Truly He is the One who has walked in every person’s shoes. He knows all about sorrow, rejection, loneliness, whatever it may be, for He shared fully in our humanity.
An old hymn entitled, “There’s Not a Friend Like the Lowly Jesus”, has this phrase, Jesus knows all about our struggles. And even greater is the truth that He not only knows fully but also He cares deeply. I find great assurance in what the Bible says about the understanding Jesus has for us. “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Hebrews 4:15-16 NLT)
One of the many blessings of trusting Jesus as our Savior is the assurance of never walking alone through this life. We will never walk where He has not walked before. He has promised to never leave or forsake us. Knowing that He has walked in our shoes, and that He still walks beside us should give us great courage. Even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we fear no evil, for He walked there once, and is alive forevermore to walk through it with each of us.
-Terry Morrison
He Walked in Our Shoes
