I think Jesus is a “been there, done that” kinda guy. He comes to me on the same level. He doesn’t approach me as a king on his high horse telling me to “do this you lowly scum!” Instead, he approaches me as a fellow human, someone who knows what I go through and tells me “I’ve been there, done that, come and follow me.”
Jesus easily could have approached me as the high and mighty king who knows it all and is above all because he is, but yet he chose a different approach. He created me and knows I wouldn’t accept the high and mighty king as well as someone who’s been there and experienced what I have. I’m only speaking for myself, it may be different for you.
If I haven’t experienced something, it can be hard for me to relate to that experience. For example, I have many mama friends who have lost a child. I know grief, I have experienced deep grief, but not of one of my children. Through FB posts I get a glimpse into their lives and feelings as they walk the lonely path of grief. However, unless I lose a child too, I will never know exactly how they feel. I can imagine, but I’m not living it.
The Compassionate Friends (CF) grief support group for parents who have lost children are living it. The parents who are twenty years into their grief journey can tell those who are experiencing their first Christmas season that the road is hard, take one day at a time, one minute at a time and they too will get through it, even with a bucket full of tears. If I said that, the message isn’t authentic, but when someone from CF says that, the message is authentic.
So Jesus approaches me, and all of us, as one who has been there. One who knows what it’s like to live life here on earth and knows grief, life, and death. Emanuel, God with us. He became an equal to me, a human, so I will listen to him. He’s been there, done that and wants me to follow his example. When someone says “you should do this” and hasn’t walked in my shoes, I’m less likely to listen to them, no matter how well meaning they are.
His willingness to take the step down, to be among humans, instills a trust and believability in the message. He’s been down my road, he knows what it’s like, I can relate to him, I can trust him, I can believe him, it feels more real, more authentic.
God bless you this week! Please join my tribe and share this post with your friends!
Thank you!
I love this!
I had a friend once who’s Dad passed away. After much time had passed, her sister, who still lived at home, and her mother were both struggling moreso than the other family members. It soon became apparent that an unintentional divide was growing between the two as they mourned and felt abandoned by the other. Each felt like their pain was perhaps the worst pain one could feel and needed the other’s consoling strength, but wasn’t getting it.
Although this was 23 years ago, I remember my friend’s wisdom to her mom and her sister….. she said, “Mom, you are not a 16 year old girl who lost her dad, and (sister) you are not a wife who just lost her husband. You are not going through or feeling the same thing.”
I had never thought in those terms before, that the death of a husband and father would affect members of the same family in different ways and could rend them unable to understand each other’s pain.
God bless you Michelle and your wisdom!
Thank you Annette! That is so sweet!