Mile in My Shoes

When someone suggests that you cannot help them because you haven’t walked a mile in their shoes, it’s important to approach this delicately. Following that logic, Jesus wouldn’t be able to help them either, since He was never married, divorced, or involved in various other human experiences. This reasoning falls short because, despite our unique lives, we all face struggles common to humanity.

Though having similar experiences can be beneficial, it’s not necessary. Every human shares certain struggles, and true discipleship happens at the heart level. For instance, everyone faces issues like control, comfort, fear, and shame. These are universal struggles.

When discipling, focus on the heart. Despite different external lives, we all have common heart struggles. For example, control is a struggle for everyone, as is the desire for comfort, the battle with fear, and dealing with shame. Guilt, unbelief, self-reliance, and self-righteousness are also universal issues. Anger, self-centeredness, sexual issues, and the fear of man are common to all.

Helping someone understand that transformation happens in the heart allows them to see the commonalities we share. By addressing these heart-level issues, you can help them achieve true, lasting change in their lives.