by Jeremy Paschall
A man was trying to cross the street. As he stepped off the curb, a car came screaming around the corner and headed straight for him. The man walked faster, trying to hurry across the street, but the car changed lanes and kept coming at him.
So the guy turned around to go back, but the car changed lanes again and still kept coming straight at him.
By then, the car was so close and the man so scared that he just froze and stopped in the middle of the road.
The car got very close, then suddenly swerved at the last possible moment and screeched to a halt right next him.
The driver rolled down his car window.
The driver was a squirrel.
The squirrel said to the man, "See, it's not quite as easy as it looks, is it?"
There have been many times when I have discovered that personally experiencing something is more difficult than it looks. For example, when I was younger, I thought buying a house was a simple process — find a house you like, go get the money from the bank, pay the sellers, and move in. But when my wife and I bought our first house a few years ago, the reality was very different. We had to fill-out dozens of forms, fax numerous documents, spend hours on the phone, get the house appraised, and then meet with a lawyer to close the deal. I quickly learned that "it's not quite as easy as it looks."
Maybe there have been times when you thought someone ought to be handling a serious illness or a death in the family better than they did. But after experiencing similar circumstances yourself, you have learned that "it's not quite as easy as it looks."
Sometimes there is just no way to know what it feels like to go through something without actually experiencing it for yourself. That is why the incarnation of God’s Son is so important. There's no way we can say to God, "Living here on this earth — it's not as easy as it looks!" God knows. He has taken on flesh and blood and walked on this earth. He has faced temptation, frustration, persecution, disappointment, physical pain, and a whole host of other human experiences. He knows how tough it is. He understands. And that's why He is in a position to be of help to us.
"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:15-16)
It is true. Living life on this earth is "not quite as easy as it looks." But God knows that. We can find comfort today in knowing that the Son of God experienced the same trials we face. For that reason He can intercede for us to the Father that we might have divine mercy and grace showered upon us when we are in need. Praise be to God for His love manifested in the incarnation of Jesus Christ!