-Jesus Blog Part 1: "Me Too"

Sometimes I think we, as Christians, really dehumanize Jesus. I think we get so over-zealous about ensuring His place in the Trinity that we make him out to be super-human. We imagine Jesus as someone who always knew exactly what to say and what to do in any situation. we imagine Him with a certain strut or swagger about Him that exuded confidence because, we think, "He knew who He was." But I think we miss out on so much of Jesus when we do this. Now let me make it clear, I believe that Jesus is God in the flesh and i believe that He knew who He was. But the fact is that Jesus was and is a man. During His life on Earth I believe he was just as susceptible to human emotion and yes, even insecurity.

The bible tells us then when Jesus took on a human form that He became, "a little lower than the angels." (Hebrews 2) It also tells us that He was profoundly hansom or attractive that we should be drawn to Him in any way. (Isaiah 53) Jesus was a child as well. We know He grew up with human parents, had brothers and sisters and went to school. So for me, it is safe to conclude that for all intents and purposes, Jesus dealt with the same range of feelings and emotions and hurt and joy and struggle and that we do. But what convinces me most that this is true is what I hear in His voice when I read those red lettered words.

I think often times when we read the Bible we read it as a text book. It's a book that has information that we need to learn in order to improve out lives or so we know the right things to say and do so we can go to heaven when we die. This is probably due to some of the language we use. We talk about "studying" the Bible. We call it "Text." We refer to it as our "Instruction Manual for Life." Our "Study" Bibles contain "footnotes" and "glossories" and "dictionaries." We have inundated ourselves with the idea the the Bible is a very important text book. But we have forgotten that it is also a story. A narative. With history and songs and poetry and passion and agony. Lately, I have begun reading the words of Jesus like this. And I am finding a whole new side of Jesus that I wish I knew before.

Listen to this short passage; "From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve." (John 6:66-67) When I read the question Jesus asked the twelve I hear in Jesus' voice a very sad, hurt and even insecure tone. "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Can you hear the angst? The anxiety? I hear in Jesus' voice a man who is desperate to be accepted because He knows what it means. A man who hopes and prays that He is saying the right words and doing the right things. A man who has just been deserted by many of His "friends" and is asking other if they are going to bail on Him too. "You don't want to leave too, do you?" It feels like a plea that they not leave Him alone. Because Jesus doesn't want to be alone.

I get like that too. I'm desperate to be accepted. I hope and pray that I say the right words and do the right things. I don't want to be alone. And I feel a little better knowing that Jesus, the SON OF GOD, felt some of the same insecurities I do. To know that that He can feel my turmoil within because He has been there. He has felt it. He knows exactly...what...I'm going through. And I find it comforting to know that Jesus can say to someone like me, "Me too, John. Me too."