There is One who Comprehends

"The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy."

Proverbs 14:10

Even when we've experienced sorrow in our own lives, we can't perfectly sympathize with another person.  Each human -- each heart -- has its own hurt. We can come alongside, but we can't see inside another's heart. And what is true for sorrow is also true for joy. The fullness of one person's joy is still singular to them. It can't be completely comprehended by another. "We all need sympathy. And as it is impossible that we should ever perfectly obtain it from our fellow men, there remains but One who can give it to us. There is One who can enter the closet where the skeleton is locked up. One who is in touch with our unmentionable grief. He weighs and measures that which is too heavy for us to bear. That blessed One! Oh, that we may each one have Him for our Friend! Without Him we shall lack the great necessity of a happy life! A personal Savior is absolutely needful to each of us to meet our individual personality. Jesus, alone, can understand with our joy and make it still more gladsome. He, alone, can understand our grief and remove its wormwood." (Spurgeon)

Soul Healer

"I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness, 

Because You have seen my affliction; 

You have known the troubles of my soul," 

Psalm 31:7

Human understanding is good, but it isn't perfect. Because humans are flawed, so is the support we receive from them. But when we share our troubles with the Lord and He says, "I know how you feel," He really does. Through the incarnation, Christ experienced every human feeling that could be felt, and so He empathizes with us completely. Even more, the Lord can do something about our pain. His love and kindness can touch the sadness in our soul and heal it. Those who have experienced this kind of fellowship with Christ rejoice. They are glad to be acquainted with Him. Because no one gets it like Jesus does.

The Best Place Possible

Straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?"

 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more."

John 8:10-11

Throughout Jesus' ministry the Scribes and Pharisees did their best to discredit Him. This time they brought a woman caught in the act of adultery to the Lord, asking Him if He would uphold the law that gave death as a penalty for her sin (Lev 20:10, Deut. 22:22). It's interesting that the man involved with the woman was not present. The law stated that both the woman and the man must die. Why didn't the accusers bring her partner to the Lord, as well? There is no way we can know the answer, but it is for certain the legalists wanted to shame the woman and trap the Lord at the same time. But Jesus says nothing at first. Instead, He mysteriously writes in the sand with His finger. Whatever He wrote may have had a direct impact on the people around Him, for when He told them to cast a stone at the woman if they were without sin, they all left. Then He turns to the woman with compassion. Although He does not condemn her, He does call her act of adultery sin, and commands her to stop it. The Lord is never soft on sin. There is always a penalty for it eventually (Rom. 6:23; Eze. 18:4). That's why we need to run to Jesus, our Savior, for forgiveness. When the religious authorities brought the woman to Jesus, they brought her to the best place possible.