Walk a mile in their shoes......

I think there is a saying that goes something like this, " If you truly want to know what a person goes through, you need to walk a mile in their shoes." I was given the opportunity to do that today and its got me thinking. My husband and I have very different roles here. He is the project guy and has done much of his ministry through working hard. My ministry has been more on the relational side.
Today I got a taste of hard work. I joined the group on pouring the roof of teen house #4. I joined in pushing a wheelbarrow full of concrete, took my turn in the assembly line hauling bucket after bucket up a two story building. Tonight, my muscles are sore. I also must confess that two students who got cement in their eyes and a woman with back pain got me out of about an hour of work.
I have head knowledge that all the roles and jobs in Back2Back's ministry are important. But to be honest I felt pretty confident that I perhaps if one was to compare did more than my husband. Boy was I wrong.
He works so hard day in and day out. Doesn't complain. Develops relationships in the process that I just didn't know about. I am very proud of my husband. God has opened my eyes to be less judgmental and full of myself.
God has also helped me to see how I do that with others. Maybe other staff, the teens that live here, people who live differently than I do. I think I will try and do more walking in other people's shoes. If not physically than prayerfully. Asking God to give me His perspective of others. I'm sure this will be a lifelong lesson.
I hope to join another concrete pour. Maybe after my sore muscles heal. And I pray I will complain less.......