At the Table | In Our Shoes

3 Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. 4 Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others.

Philippians 2:3-4 (CEB)

The most powerful way to overcome division isn't through debate or argument, it's through empathy. When we take time to really understand someone else's experience, when we listen to their story with genuine care, when we try to see the world through their eyes, walls start to come down.

This is what Jesus did for us. He didn't stay in heaven and try to fix us from a distance. He didn't send down rules and requirements without understanding what it was like to live as a human being. Instead, he came down and walked in our shoes, literally experiencing what we experience.

Jesus knew what it felt like to be tired after a long day of work. He knew the frustration of being misunderstood by people who should have supported him. He experienced the pain of being betrayed by a close friend. He felt the weight of responsibility and the pressure of expectations.

Because Jesus walked in our shoes, he can empathize with our struggles in a way that transforms our relationship with God. We don't serve a distant deity who issues commands without understanding our limitations. We serve someone who has been where we are and knows what we're going through.

And if that's how Jesus treated us, that's how we should treat each other. Before we judge someone's choices, we need to understand their circumstances. Before we criticize someone's struggles, we need to consider what they've been through. Before we dismiss someone's perspective, we need to listen to their story.

This doesn't mean we never disagree or never hold each other accountable. But it means we approach each other with the same empathy and understanding that Jesus showed us. It means we're quick to listen and slow to judge. It means we value relationships more than being right.

Personal Application: This week, look for an opportunity to really listen to someone whose perspective is different from yours. Ask questions not to prove your point, but to understand theirs. How might their experience have shaped their views in ways you hadn't considered?

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for walking in our shoes so completely that you understand everything we go through. Help us follow your example by seeking to understand others before asking to be understood. Give us patient hearts and listening ears. Help us build bridges through empathy rather than walls through judgment. Amen.