Walking a Mile in Someone Else's Shoes

For most who know me, I have attended Life.Church for many years. A few weeks back, lead pastor Craig Groeshel talked about a desire to trade places with a person whose life was much more simple. It was an interesting thought when my mind immediately entertained the thought of Craig living a day or maybe a week in my shoes.

 

The thought passed and was just a lost moment in time after a few days. Except, lately I have been having more and more moments when I wished some of the people around me could walk a mile in other people’s shoes. Even mine.

One example is the recent debate surrounding the #BlackLivesMatter movement. With all the outrage on both sides, I found myself wishing that those people who wholeheartedly supported the police could see this issue from the perspective of black people who had to be nervous every time they were pulled over by a cop. We all get some level of anxiety when we get pulled over, but black people legitimately have to be concerned about more than just getting a ticket or hearing a lecture while receiving a warning.

On the flip side, I wish those who blamed the cops could walk a mile in their shoes so they could get a better understanding of what motivated them to pull the trigger in those instances when the killings occurred. I don’t know what was in their minds but I would absolutely embrace the opportunity to know the truth behind what motivated them in those situations.

Being able to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes might also help some of us understand why our friends and family members choose to support one Presidential candidate over another. It might help explain why a person who has lived paycheck-to-paycheck for their entire adult life might vehemently be in favor of the trust fund millionaire. It might provide some insight as to why someone who is tired of career politicians would choose to cast a vote for the candidate whose nomination was forced down the throats of the voters.

What was interesting about Craig’s proposal was that he was seeking simplicity. I have no doubt he is a workaholic who overschedules himself and doesn’t allow himself enough time to spend with his family. That alone is enough to drive a person to want to give up some of themselves so that they can have more of what means the most to them.

The problem with that premise is that lives that appear to be simple probably are anything but simple. A day with my life may seem less busy for Craig but he would also find a different set of complications that he doesn’t have to deal with on a daily basis. Money struggles. Job issues. Health problems. Not knowing what the future will provide. The only part of our lives that may feel the same would be the lack of enough time spent with family, which usually consists of a few hours a week for me.

Perspective is a major piece that seems to be missing from the lives of so many of us. We look around and wonder what it would be like if we had someone else’s life. The truth is, you don’t want it. Just accept what you have and be the best possible person you can be. Then, live your life.