I cannot remember a time when I did not love Jesus. I grew up in a Southern Baptist church that taught me to filter my beliefs and decisions through Christian scripture and the life of Jesus, also the Word.
The Bible, alone, appeared tight compared to how it exponentially opened when I read it through the lens of Jesus’ life. Sunday school teachers taught us that Jesus came to complete the law with love, and then left his spirit, the counselor, to be with us always. Scripture was alive, because we were aware of the Sacred within us.
Fear was rampant then, too. This was Memphis, Tennessee in the 1960’s and 70’s, but our Caucasian Southern Baptist church opened her doors to African-Americans.
My childhood teachings led me, as an adult, to ask questions such as, “If Jesus were here today, who would be sitting at his table?” or “In looking at how Jesus responded to issues in gospel times, how would he respond to our current challenges?”
Jesus welcomed all, had fitting boundaries and poured courage into his own, even when they manipulated around him. Although he grieved, he did not seem to stress over others’ opinions.
Sometimes I wonder what happened to the enlightened Jesus I loved as a child? The one who treated others with kindness, and also spoke truth. My every anxious thought dissolves into gratefulness, each time I catch a glimpse of him.
Jesus did not worry about being tainted by so-called sinners, yet did not shy away from pointing out heart issues, especially to those who had spiritual influence. His example coupled well with his teaching; first, address the log in your own eye.
When I was young and more literal, I named my faults and tried to make them right. Later, I realized the breathtaking purpose of self-examination. Jesus’ spirit meets us in our humility and cares for the wounds we’ve hidden under our defenses. As we allow the Comforter to care for us, we begin to compassionately open to others.
It can feel unsteady considering Jesus’ life, as the Word, alongside a preference to words on a page, similar to walking through a dark night with only glimpses of light to guide us. If; however, we allow Spirit to lead the way, we begin seeing the possibility of union with a bigger, more universal God.