Looking
back on Jesus’ life and ministry, I have noted several ways in which I think
Jesus could have improved things. Not
that anything He did was wrong, mind you.
But I can’t help seeing how He could have had it a bit easier if He had
been willing to do and say certain things differently.
For
example, He was the Son of God. Well
then, He needed to exert Himself a little more forcefully. Buy some nice clothing. Purchase a house or building in which to hold
His classes and seminars. Challenge His
critics to debates. Eat healthier
food. He should have taken James’ and
John’s advice to call down fire on that Samaritan village (Luke 9:51-54). That would have forced everyone around to
take notice of who He really was.
Yet, I
guess He wouldn’t have been able to fulfill His purpose for coming which He
said was to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew
20:28). And His example of service where
He washed the disciple’s feet (John 13:1-17) was perfect. I’ll have to admit, He couldn’t accomplish
this by exerting Himself the way I thought He should.
Well, then,
how about another example. Jesus was the
Son of God. Therefore, He should have
spent His time with the learned scholars of His day, not with the peasants and
indigent folk. I mean, what could a
diseased leper ever do to help His kingdom?
They weren’t even allowed near the city.
And tax collectors; those cheats.
Could they really be happy with a smaller income and a teaching
profession? Come on, now. Jesus should have spent more time convincing
those who spent their days studying the Law and Prophets. He could have easily proven His power with a
few choice miracles and “whipped” those guys into the spiritual shape God
intended for them.
Yet, I
guess He wouldn’t have been able to fulfill His stated mission which was to
seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).
The Jewish religious leaders didn’t know they needed to be saved. It was the common folk who understood their
need for a Savior. I’ll have to admit,
He would have been casting His pearls before swine if he had done it my way.
All right
then. Let’s try another example. Being the Master and Teacher, He should have
been more careful than to get too close with any of His students and
disciples. The rule is that leaders
cannot rule over their subordinates if they bring themselves down to a lower
level of authority. But Jesus
compromised His higher position by building intimate relationships with anyone
and everyone that He came into contact with.
After all, respect is earned, not granted.
Yet, I
guess He wouldn’t have been able to fulfill His purpose of showing us how much
He loves us by acting any other way (John 15:9). We know what love really is because Jesus
came to earth and demonstrated true love to those He came to serve and to
save. I’ll have to admit, He has
provided an extremely high standard for us to attain to that wouldn’t have been
if He had done things my way.
So, I guess
I wouldn’t change anything Jesus did or said.
The way He did things turned out to be perfect after all. I can see that what needs to happen is for me
to change the things I do and say so that they match what Jesus did and
said. In this way, I will be fulfilling
the very same purposes that He was - to serve, seek the lost and love
everyone. And isn’t that what God has
been trying to get me to understand all along?
That I need to be like Jesus; that I must reflect Him to everyone I come
into contact with every day; that
I need to fit my words and deeds to match His; that I cannot rest until I am
just like Jesus.
Doug
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