Meaning of "...if you have never walked in their shoes!"

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

I’d to know meaning of “walk in someone’s shoes”. After I read comments from yahoo.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER judge someone because of the work they do, if you have never walked in their shoes!!! Just wanted to share!!!

news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/pa … 14258.html

I once saw a group of about 15 people leave a few quarters on a table for a waitress one time at an Applebees. They were a group who just got out of evening service at their church ( I overheard their conversations). The waitress did an amazing job taking care of 15 people by herself. When she came back to the table and the group had left, she sat down and began to cry. I went over to her and gave her 50 dollars. That covered their tip, and mine. She stated she was a single mom who had made some bad choices, but was trying to get her life straight, putting herself through college. When I left, I ran into 6 or 7 of the jerks in the parking lot. I explained to them what a poor example of Jesus Christ they were, and that they should be ashamed of themselves. By the time I was finished, they were walking back into the store leaving her more money. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER judge someone because of the work they do, if you have never walked in their shoes!!! Just wanted to share!!!

2

‘Walk in someone’s shoes’ means have the same experiences, lead the same kind of life as someone else.

Alan

3

Hi,
I think it’s clearly explained here: “Well,… the idea of being in someone’s shoes is about seeing something from the other person’s perspective. We can use phrases like: ‘If I was in your shoes’ or ‘walk a mile in my shoes.’”

idiom-a-day.blogspot.com/2010/08 … shoes.html
There’s an American version of it: “Before you judge a man, you must walk a mile in his moccasins.”

4

If you don’t know what they’ve been through, don’t judge them!. = If you have never walked in their shoes, don’t judge them! ???

5

Exactly.

6

Thanks a lot.