Timothy had fallen off his bike and broken his leg. At first it was fun to eat his meals on the sofa and watch cartoons, but now he was bored. He missed playing with his friends.
"How are you feeling?" Dad asked when he came home from work.
"My leg doesn't hurt as much today."
"That's good to hear." Dad joined him on the sofa. "But I wasn't as happy to hear how impatient you were with Mom today."
"But Dad, you don't know what it's like to have to sit here all day." Feeling sorry for himself, Timothy crossed his arms and slid down lower on the couch. "I can't swim or bike, and another player took my place in the big soccer game. You just don't understand!"
"I understand better than you think. When I was young, I broke my arm."
Timothy froze. "You broke your arm, Dad?" He sighed, feeling guilty. "I bet you didn't yell and complain."
"Guess again." Dad smiled at Timothy's look of surprise. "I found it very difficult to listen to my parents--and my doctor too. But Jesus helped me understand that He knew what I was going through. Sometimes we think that because Jesus is the Son of God, He can't understand the way we feel. But the Bible says He understands our struggles because He was tempted just like us. He knows what it's like to be human and live on this earth."
"Just like you understand what it's like to have a broken arm because you had one when you were young!" Timothy said.
"Exactly! But unlike me, Jesus never sinned. And because He can sympathize with our human weakness, He helps us resist sin and provides forgiveness for the wrongs we've done."
"I'm glad for that," said Timothy.
Dad nodded. "Me too. Now, after you make things right with Mom and Jesus, I have a game to teach you. It kept me busy for many hours when my arm was broken!" Jessica Kleeberger
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you ever feel like no one understands what you’re going through? Jesus understands what it’s like to be human. He knows what it’s like to suffer hardships and feel tempted to do wrong. But unlike us, He didn’t give in to temptation, even when it was hard. He never sinned, and He can help us resist sin too—and He forgives us when we do sin. He knows how you feel and will help you through hardships and temptation.
TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Hebrews 4:15 (KJV)
This High Priest of ours [Jesus] understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. (NLT)