If you have never seen Undercover Boss, it is about CEO's who step out of their corporate world and, in disguise, step into the real world of their employees by working side by side with them. From this experience, they learn much about the everyday lives of their employees both on and away from their jobs. Through this experience, the CEO's develop a greater understanding of their employees, which enable them to sympathize with them in ways they never could have if they had never stepped out of their corporate world and into the real world of their employees. In much the same way, Jesus stepped out of his world, Heaven, and into our world, earth. As God, the Creator and the one in charge of the universe, Jesus humbled himself and took on the nature of mankind...God becoming man. From his experience, he is now able to understand and sympathize with us in our hurts, pain, struggles, and temptations. So what did Jesus experience as he walked upon this earth as a man that enables him to understand and sympathize with us? Jesus experienced difficulty from birth. He was born in the most terrible of environments, a smelly and dirty stable. About two years following his birth, his family escaped to Egypt as King Herod's soldiers went house to house taking the lives of all male children two years and younger. As Jesus grew up, he experienced pain in many different areas. This experience enabled him to know the pain we feel in the ares of our lives. Jesus knows what it feels like to experience emotional pain. It is possible he experienced the loss of his earthly father, Joseph, since Joesph is not mentioned following their escape to Egypt. The Bible says Jesus was despised and rejected. People looked down on him, laughed at him, mocked him, betrayed him, and abandoned him. So often, Jesus is portrayed in pictures and movies as this handsome man. In actuality, this is the very opposite of how Jesus looked. According to the Bible, he was not a very handsome man. There was nothing about his appearance that would cause people to take notice of him. Jesus also knows what it is like to experience physical pain. Crucifixion is one of the most painful deaths anyone can experience. The crown of thorns in his head, nails in his hands and feet, hanging on the cross...excruciating pain. Jesus knows what it is like to be abused. He was hit, beat, whipped, and spit upon. Jesus knows what it is like to experience spiritual pain. While on earth, the religious Pharisees were constantly slandering and criticizing him. From the cross, Jesus felt abandoned by his heavenly Father. Jesus knows what it is like to hurt emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Jesus knows what it is like to be human. Jesus knows how you feel. He knows your hurts, your pains, your fears, your doubts, your struggles, temptations, and your questions. As a result, he is able to sympathize with you. He feels your pain. He asks you to come to him, to his grace, love, and mercy so you can find strength from him in your time of need. Because of Jesus, we don't have a God who is removed from and can't relate to our pain. Instead, we have a God who willingly took on human nature so he can sympathize with us in our hurts, pains, and struggles. Jesus is the first Undercover Boss! |
