Why Would God Become Human?

It could have been so simple. A mere snap of divine fingers, and it all could have been over. Sin erased, grace replacing law, and humanity forgiven in an instant. After all, he created the world; surely, he was powerful enough to change it without enduring pain. So why? Why did he become a man? Why trade the majesty of heaven for the trials of servanthood? Why the cross? Why did he come?

It goes far deeper than poetic justice or the creator dying to save his creation. The profound beauty of Jesus lies in his choice to be God in the flesh, to become like us and experience life as we do.

The choice to become one of us harkens back to the story of Adam and Eve — the idea that God walked in the garden with the Creation and had a relationship with us before the fall. Now, to redeem that relationship, God walks among us again. The relationship is the key. Would you trust a savior who never knew despair? Could you confide in a redeemer who never faced betrayal? How could we bring our burdens to a God who had never felt the sting of affliction? Without Jesus’ humanity, the divine would seem distant, unapproachable—a figure too far removed from our struggles.

But Jesus came not just to redeem us but to walk in our shoes, to know our world intimately. He didn’t just watch our lives from afar; he lived his life with us. He faced struggles, temptations, and pains that we face daily.

Jesus has been betrayed. He’s experienced loneliness, felt the sting of failure, and known the pain of futility. He’s been weary, hungry, and thirsty. The almighty has felt physical and emotional pain. The Christ has known guilt, sorrow, and temptation. The light of the world has felt the loss of a loved one. The lamb of God has made sacrifices that hurt him deeply. The creator of all things gave everything and, in return, was met with criticism. The friend of the wounded was abandoned by those he cared for. The counselor has felt anger and the sting of bitterness. The holy one has struggled with misunderstanding and the pain of dealing with family conflict. The guide has felt the urge to flee from problems. The messiah has known the gut-wrenching feelings of stress. The king of kings has been argued with, hated, and faced the overwhelming pressure of choosing between the voice of the crowd and the voice of the heart.

But there’s more—Jesus didn’t just feel sorrow and pain; he also experienced joy, laughter, and the simple pleasures of life. He smiled and laughed with those he met, used wit to navigate tricky situations, and showed kindness and compassion at every turn.

Jesus came to show us how to be like God by being like us If you’ve ever tried to make sense of why he went through all that he did, it may not be theological or academic. It may boil down to one thing that even the most learned among us can’t quantify: love. He loves you so deeply that he would go to any length to be near you—neven if it meant becoming just like you, so that he could fully know and understand everything about you.