A young Indian who lived in the USA for a long time returned to India. He wanted to be a Zomato food delivery agent for a weekend. What he experienced was a harsh and humbling experience on Indian streets. It was not like the comfort zone of corporate corridors of power or boardrooms. He had to endure exhaustion, dehydration, stares, indifference, lack of decency in conversations, lack of politeness, and lack of gratitude. His experience made him a changed person, to be polite, courteous, respectful, and value the service of all humans. (The Economic Times, 17 April 2025) Two days’ experience of being a poor delivery boy helped him to get empathy.
Stepping Down: The Incarnation is to step down to serve. Paul writes: “Though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8) It was not a weekend visit of curiosity, but a self-emptying exercise that includes being born in a manger in a cowshed, growing up in a poor room, working with his hands as a carpenter, rejected by humanity, crucified on the cross, and buried to rise again.
Learn empathy? The mission of the Lord was not to be educated in empathy like the rich boy. He loved the humans of the world; hence, knowing the risk, pain, suffering, and violent death, he voluntarily chose to become a man. (John 3:16) It was not a learning pilgrimage, but to die for the sins of humans.
For our sake: As the Omniscient God, the Lord knew the pain and suffering. The author of the Epistle of Hebrews compares the Lord with other High priests, the descendants of Aaron, who could not empathise with the worshippers, and declares that the Lord, though an all-knowing God, also has experienced human suffering. (Hebrews 2:18)
Do I understand what it cost the Saviour to become an incarnation?