A Day in Your Shoes

Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.

ROMANS 12:15

HAVE YOU EVER GOTTEN REALLY frustrated with someone, then found out something that made you realize why that person did what he or she did? Suddenly, you had a deeper understanding of the person, and maybe you weren’t so frustrated after all. For instance, imagine you were looking forward to having a friend over, but he never showed up and never told you why. Of course you’re upset. You’re irritated and angry. But then you find out that your friend’s mom fell and broke her ankle that day, and he had to go to the emergency room with her. Suddenly, you feel very differently. You might even think, Wow! That was really nice of him to drop everything and help his mom.

There’s an old saying about situations like this: “Don’t judge a person until you’ve walked a mile in his or her shoes.” God doesn’t want us to make assumptions about people; he wants us to try to understand their situation and put ourselves in their place. God himself is the best example of how to do this. No matter what we do or say, God forgives us when we ask and gives us another chance. He doesn’t hold our past actions against us. He knows how we feel and what challenges we face. And he’s always there for us, rooting for us. We can do the same for our friends.

DO

Find a picture of yourself somewhere in your home. Spend a few moments studying the photo, and imagine what someone who didn’t know you might assume about you based only on the picture. Maybe that you’re a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan or that you really like hair accessories. Do you think a stranger would know much about your personality based on that picture? Why or why not?

Now, think of three good things about yourself that you can’t tell from the picture alone. Maybe you’re good at soccer, you care about animals, or you love to listen to music. How would that stranger learn these things about you? How can you remember that the next time you’re tempted to judge someone’s actions when you don’t really know the situation?

PRAY

Dear God,

Thank you for understanding me and loving me even when I mess up. Thank you for giving me friends and reminding me to love them and be there for them, even when they mess up. Remind me to imagine what it is like to walk in their shoes before I make a judgment about them.

READ

Matthew 7:12; 1 Peter 3:8