As we approach Christmas, I’ve been reading the ancient prophecy of Isaiah: “And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6b). When we study and unpack any of these four descriptions of Christ, there is so much to learn about who he really is.

As I’ve reflected on the description of Christ as our Wonderful Counsellor, I’ve identified three important truths to remember over the holiday season. I believe they prove relevant to the work that we do in The Salvation Army.

1. Jesus knows us inside out. Many of our people are involved in counselling relationships. I’m sure they experience much frustration with counsellors who don’t seem to be hearing what they are saying. Personally, it drives me crazy when I tell someone I’m going through some pain or frustration and their immediate response is a trite attempt to tell me that everything will be OK if I just trust God and wait on him to bring me through it.

When I was first diagnosed with MS, Christian people actually said to me, “Oh well, at least if you die you’ll be in Heaven with Jesus.” Of course I know that is true, but it’s definitely not what I needed to hear. To me, that kind of advice is as futile as a husband standing over his wife who is in the midst of all the pain involved with childbirth and saying to her that if she just trusts in God and recognizes that the pain is only for a time then it will be easier. That guy will likely get a punch in the face. What his wife needs to hear at that time is that he’s sorry and that he’s here with her in the midst of it and he wishes she didn’t have to go through this.

Here on the streets of Toronto, our community needs to hear that from us. They’re not always looking for solutions. They just want us to say, “I’m so sorry that this is happening to you right now and I really wish it wasn’t the way it is.” Jesus is a wonderful counsellor. He knows us inside out. He doesn’t offer solutions to every problem we have. He just wants us to know that he’s with us and will carry us when we can’t go on ourselves. He knows our pain. He knows what it’s like to be homeless, hopeless and abandoned. He knows what it’s like to think that no one understands Him. He knows us inside out.

2. Jesus turns us inside out. As a wonderful counsellor, he can take us in the midst of our brokenness and radically transform us. He died to bring us life, to take us out of loneliness and hopelessness. He’s the only counsellor that can take us out of our pain for eternity if we trust him to do that for us.

3. Jesus loves us inside out. People don’t have to be perfect in order to be loved by God. If that were so, none of us would stand a chance. He loves us despite what we have done or where we have been. In Christ it is fine to say to each other, “I’m not OK, you’re not OK, but that’s OK.” This makes Christ and Christianity different than any other religious leader or religion in that we recognize we can never achieve perfection; though, of course, we should strive for it. That’s OK because he loves us inside out anyway.

I pray that we never forget the true meaning of the season. Jesus truly is a Wonderful Counsellor.

Dion Oxford, along with his wife, Erinn, and daughter, Cate, live in Toronto and are committed to journeying alongside people in the margins of society. Dion and Erinn have spent a combined 30 years working amongst folks who are living on the streets of Toronto. Dion is the director of Gateway, a Salvation Army shelter for men experiencing homelessness. He and his wife see the solution to homelessness as the church taking seriously the two great commandments of loving God and loving our neighbours. He likes to read, write, fly kites, cycle long distances, watch TV, play in his band and hang out with his friends.