Perhaps you’ve heard the sentiment, “you can’t really judge a person until you walk a mile in their shoes.” This thought goes beyond the idea of just a reprimand against being judgemental. It’s one that reminds us to have empathy and understanding of others’ experiences and actions with an open heart and mind. The greatest example of walking in someone else’s shoes is Jesus, being fully God, who stepped into humanity’s shoes by being born into this world—so we could know with certainty that He experienced the same kinds of trials and losses, wants and needs that we all experience as humans. When we tune into how Jesus lived, we in turn can begin to tune into others, and like Jesus, show them love even when we don’t understand or agree with them. 

Our guests this week are people who’ve had experience stepping into other people’s shoes—one as a reporter who makes it her job to understand the people she is interviewing to best be able to tell their stories, and the other an actor, who has had to inhabit the lives of the characters, real and fictional, that he brings to life in TV and film. News anchor and author Harris Faulkner shares how the loss of her parents opened up a side of her that helps her relate to people in a more compassionate way—one that shows up when she’s interviewing people about their own experiences, good and bad. Actor Omar Benson Miller tells us how he walks into each role he’s given with the intention to gain the full experience of someone’s story and how each character he has played has shown him the value of giving kind consideration to everyone’s story.

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:

Jesus Calling Podcast

Jesus Calling

Jesus Always

Jesus Listens

Past interview: Ben Higgins

Upcoming interview: Maggi Thorne

Harris Faulkner

Faith Still Moves Mountains

Omar Benson Miller

8 Mile

Miracle at St. Anna

CSI Miami

Bible

Interview Quotes:

"When [my dad] prayed for me and my mom, he was very specific in saying, 'I want them to find peace, joy, and health when I am not with them. Lord, I need you to be a protector for them when I am not with them.' And that's especially true now in terms of how I walk out my own faith." - Harris Faulkner

“I believe God loves all of us.” - Harris Faulkner

“I leaned back into God and He leaned into me and I was able to go forward. And I prayed more. And things got better. But it was in His timing, not mine.” - Harris Faulkner

“My mom told me growing up, ‘Give all of your worries and sorrows in life to God. And don't forget to pray when things are going well, too.’ When I remembered that my mom had said that when I was praying less and crying more in my loss, what it reminded me of is that there will be days that will go well again. That this too shall pass. Loving our parents and losing our parents will never pass. But that point of anger with the Lord will. And we must work on that.” - Harris Faulkner

“What I've tried to do is utilize the platform that God has given me to lift up others.” - Harris Faulkner

“When the storms of life come, you know God's listening because you talk to Him every day, and He hears you.” - Harris Faulkner

“It takes a real deep understanding of your relationship with God to know how to pray for someone else.” - Harris Faulkner

“I don't know what happens and has happened to people. I don't know people's stories. I don't know what they believe. I don't know what they've been through. I don't know who they've hurt or who has hurt them. So I like to go in with a blank slate.” - Omar Benson Miller 

“And the challenge is laid out that you are going to have a hard time doing the right thing, because that's what this world is. That's what this life is. So the closer you draw near to the Spirit of God, the closer, the better, and easier that will become.” - Omar Benson M