“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.”
– Harper Lee, writer (b. 1926)

When I first read these words this morning I thought to who Harper Lee is and what she has experienced and shared through her book To Kill a Mockingbird. And I thought about empathy, and also the lack of it.

Then I thought of God.

First I thought of how futile is for me to think about understanding God or His ways, as I have no way to really consider things from His point of view. I can hypothesize His point of view by reading His Word. I can make up or rationalize the point of view that I want God to have, as it best fits with my needs at the time. But it’s all conjecture.

Then again I thought of God. A God that took on flesh in order that He might understand me. Whoa! This God that knows ALL things came and dwelt among us. He walked in our shoes, breathed our air. I was going to say He felt our pain but that would be a HUGE understatement.

Something else?

The attempts non-believers make to understand God are largely based on how the actions of those who say they do believe in God. Oh dear! That’s no secret, no surprise. What it is is a big responsibility. Let us embrace it. In the efforts you and I make towards walking in the shoes of others, may we make HUGE strides in making disciples.

Maybe today, maybe this week there is someone you whose shoes I need to walk in. Maybe someone’s cross that needs to be taken up. Someone’s voice that needs to be heard. Maybe someone’s hand that needs to be held.