Falling into a Pit

I'm teaching my son's Sunday school class on Sunday. Once I sub, I will have subbed in everyone of my four children's church classes this summer. Never been able to say that before. 

Anyway, the lesson is on the Atonement. It references is an analogy that I've heard since I was my son's age in Primary, about man walking into a pit and a passerby helps him out. 

I like the version Leo McGarry tells in the TV show West Wing better:

"This guy's walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can't get out.

"A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up, 'Hey you. Can you help me out?' The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on.

"Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up, 'Father, I'm down in this hole can you help me out?' The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on

"Then a friend walks by, 'Hey, Joe, it's me can you help me out?' And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, 'Are you stupid? Now we're both down here.' The friend says, 'Yeah, but I've been down here before and I know the way out.'"

Its in reference to substance abuse, but it really hit a chord with me because of depression, and I'll be honest the more I read about mental health the more I think there really isn't much of a difference. 

There is really nothing more valuable that a friend say, "Yeah, but I've been down here before and I know the way out." Whether that friend is Jesus Christ or someone in this world. I guess I would say preferable both. Thankfully I had multiple people helping me out.