If a willingness to walk a mile in another’s shoes can be considered a measure of a person’s love, then God-in-Jesus-Christ certainly proved the depth of God’s love for us!
God became so thoroughly committed to walking in our shoes that God endured even the same birth process that we experience — being pushed and squeezed through the birth canal until bursting into our world covered with amniotic slime, gasping for that first breath of air.
After that, God-in-human-flesh grew up like one of us (Luke 2:40). Indeed, Scripture reports that, like us, Jesus grew tired from a long walk (John 14:6) and thirsty (John 14:7) and hungry (Mark 11:12).
In Jesus, God experienced, with us, not just our physical longings for rest and hydration and food, but also the anguish of the human soul. He wept (John 11:35), and was angry (Mark 3:5), and was anxious (Luke 22:44), and was “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). Have you ever been tempted? So was Jesus (Luke 4:2). Have you felt crushed under the weight of sin and guilt? So did Jesus (Isaiah 53:5). Have you been abandoned? So was Jesus (Mark 14:50). Have you been betrayed? So was Jesus (Luke 22:48). Have you felt estranged from God? So did Jesus (Mark 15:34). In love for us, God experienced the fullness of our humanity.
Because of the great depth of love that moved God to walk a lifetime in our shoes two questions arise:
1: Will I close my heart to One who has extended so much love to me?
2: Since God chose to walk a lifetime in my shoes rather than simply judging me, should I not make an effort to walk a mile in the shoes of another before judging him or her?
Editor’s note: Tom Tripp is a retired pastor. Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
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