Living in the Spirit

October 8, 2021

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 4:12-16

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. –Hebrews 4:14-16

God with Us coming to earth in the person of Jesus is something we should never take for granted. Empathy is necessary for loving one another. The song, Walk a mile in My Shoes* by Joe South most likely was influenced by the poem Judge Softly** written in 1895 by Mary T. Lathrap. Here is the first verse:

Pray, don’t find fault with the man that limps,
Or stumbles along the road.
Unless you have worn the moccasins he wears,
Or stumbled beneath the same load.

The refrain for Joe South song reads:

Walk a mile in my shoes, walk a mile in my shoes
Hey, before you abuse, criticize and accuse
Walk a mile in my shoes

Jesus experienced being human from his first trip to the temple as a child, his sojourn in the desert being tempted by Satan to dying on a cross. He loved and was loved but also knew rejection and betrayal while never losing his connectedness to God. Our faith in God stems from trusting in Jesus’ witness to God’s amazing grace and total commitment to each of God’s children to remain in a relationship with God. Do we choose to live in a relationship with God?

Maintaining our relationship with God requires us to let Christ help us have empathy for ourselves. When we see the person God created us to be through the empathetic eyes of Christ, we are enabled to revise our ways to love ourselves, and loving ourselves is the first step to loving our neighbors.

Prayer: Lord, allow us each to see that you created us to be one with you and one with all your children. Grant us the courage to step out and live as you are calling us to live. Amen.

*See at https://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/joe+south/walk+a+mile+in+my+shoes_20343302.html

**https://jamesmilson.com/about-the-blog/judge-softly-or-walk-a-mile-in-his-moccasins-by-mary-t-lathrap/

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.