It is said, “To feel empathy, one must walk a mile in another’s shoes.” In the last six months, I have come to realize how unaware I have been to what it would be like to walk in another’s shoes. I am so grateful for my brothers and sisters in Christ who have been sharing what it is like to walk in their shoes. As a white chick, I have come to realize I had no idea of what life would have been like if my skin was just a few shades darker or if I was of another ethnicity.

I asked questions to my brothers and sisters in Christ, “What has it been like to walk in your shoes?” As they shared their experiences, I so regretted I had not asked these questions before; I was so grateful for the grace and love they extended to me.

What I experienced from my brothers and sisters in Christ was an example of:

Romans 12:10 “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another…”

One of the ways we give preference to one another is to be concerned with what the other is feeling: it’s an exchange of brotherly love, honor, and kindness.What would it be like to walk their shoes? 

Again, “To feel empathy, one must walk a mile in another’s shoes.” What is empathy? Empathy is the capacity to understand what another is experiencing through their perspective, to share in their emotions and their way of thinking… to imagine what it would be like to walk in their shoes, to climb into their skin.

So as I listen to stories, I picture myself. What would it be like to walk up to a water fountain and see a sign that says you can’t drink out of this because of the color of your skin?

What would it be like to walk in those shoes?

What would it be like as a Mom or Dad if your child came home and told you one of the children in the neighborhood called them a racial slur? 

What would it be like to walk in their shoes?

What would it be like to walk in the child’s shoes?

While having a conversation with one of my brothers in Christ, I shared how, as a child, I was unaware of the difference in the color of my skin and the other children. I didn’t give it any thought. He pointed out to me that he didn’t have that luxury. As a child, he was very much made aware of the color of his skin. I got a glimpse of

 What it would be like to walk in his shoes 

Another example is what would it be like if your skin color was white — with all that is being said and everything being highlighted today. 

What would it be like to walk in their shoes?

What would it be like to be an immigrant — to come from another country and leave many of your family members behind.  What would it be like to have to learn another language? To live in a country with different traditions?

What would it be like to walk in their shoes ?

When I think of walking in another’s shoes, I think of when we put on the full armor of God. 

Ephesians 6 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  …Stand firm then with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

It’s important we remember the shoes we walk in are the ones Jesus wore… as shoes on our feet, a readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace.

We are Ministers of Reconciliation, called to bring the good news to reconcile men to God through sharing our faith in Christ. And as Ministers of Reconciliation, God will use us for the purpose of breaking down those dividing walls of hostility and strife that are so prevalent today. This is made possible as we prefer one another.

To prefer one another is to experience empathy and to be concerned about what another is feeling. That is the foundation of every conversation we enter into, and a great starting point to stepping out in our own shoes with a mindset that says “I can make a difference,” and a beautiful example of the words Jesus spoke: 

John 13:35 “By this everyone will know you are my disciples if you love one another.”