Heb 4:13 — Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

I was listening to a message by Pastor Mark Driscol on our way home from West Virginia yesterday and he was discussing Jesus’ role as our Prophet, Priest and King and he brought up this passage. I had never really thought about it in the way I did at that moment, Jesus us able to have sympathy for us on our temptations because he has been through them; yet without sin. I realized I am the exact opposite, I tend to have no sympathy for those whose temptations do not affect me, and sympathize with those who share my struggles.
I have never done drugs and when I hear a sad story involving drug use I guess my thoughts are “Natural selection at work.” Additionally I have never been sympathetic to those who have grown up in church and are desensitized to the Gospel, or stuck in a religious rut. Those very people are the ones who kept me away from Christ by their example so I may begrudge them a little although not intentionally. I know it sounds heartless and may stem from the fact that I have never truly been tempted to do drugs or thankfully to take Jesus for granted, but deep down that is the way I feel. I never examined these feelings before but when I did so in the light of Jesus I realized I am his opposite, not a place I really want to be but I am not sure how exactly to change it.