Jesus Does

Many years ago when all my children were still living at home, my precious grandma passed away.


A specific moment of that time is etched in my memory. On a drive home with my husband one day, we had a conversation about my parents. Life for us was crazy, 4 children, a million extracurricular activities, being in the ministry and all the demands it entails~ yet my heart was hurting for my mom. I asked Mike if it was okay to call her when we got home and tell her I was coming to stay with them for a few days, maybe a week~just to be with her as she grieved.


I didn’t get a chance to make that call because shortly after we got home, my dad called me~ accusing me of not thinking of my mother and what she was going through. I cried myself to sleep that night. I can remember the deep sadness I felt in wishing there was some way my mom could know my heart for her.


With age comes wisdom. Not because we get smarter, but life makes us wiser. At the time, life had not hit me hard yet. I was naive. I was hurt. Today as I look back on that time I can honestly say that I understand my mom’s pain. The agonizing pain of losing a parent and the grief that seems to engulf you.


People will hurt us. The hurt cuts even deeper when you know within your heart of hearts that you have done everything in your power to love on them and be there for them, yet they accuse you of the opposite.


I spoke with a good friend about this very thing today. Her truth filled words are those we often forget~
It becomes easier if we put ourselves in the other person’s shoes and try to understand what they are going through, even if they have accused us wrongfully.


That conversation made me recall a quote I read this week~
”Let’s always treat others the way we long to be treated and remember, we’ve never walked a mile in anyone’s shoes.” My immediate thought as I read this was agreement, and then utter awe and praise to the only One who HAS walked in my shoes. Jesus. Whether we are the one hurting or the one who received the consequences of that hurt, Jesus is literally right there with us, in our shoes. We are never walking alone.


He understands every emotion we are feeling. When we’ve been wrongfully accused and we want to scream “Please see my heart!! See my motives!!~ Jesus does.
When we’re hurting and feel like no one else could possibly understand the heart crushing emotions we’re going through, when we’re tempted to think no one cares~Jesus does.


Jesus. Accused wrongfully, denied by those He loved deeply, then crucified. Enduring more than we could ever possibly imagine. A perfect Savior who could do no wrong, hung on that cross for us.


Sometimes the hurt feels too hard. When it’s the hardest, we need God’s word the most. When you don’t think you could possibly put yourself in another person’s shoes and try to forgive~ “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”~ and put yourself in Christ’s shoes instead.


Not only did He forgive, He loved.


How often do we hurt His cause in our day to day lives, yet Jesus forgives us, He loves us and He understands. He continually walks with us through the “hard” we are dealt. Greater love hath no man than this.


Never forget~Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Put on HIS gospel. Walk in HIS shoes.






SCRIPTURE READING:
Matthew 5:3-12, 41, 44-48
Philippians 2:5-8
I John 4:4
John 15:13
Ephesians 6:15