Monthly Archives: June 2020

Will the Real Jesus, Please Stand Up?

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When I take the time to peruse social media and headlines, I find myself going through a variety of facial expressions… sadness, chuckles, surprise, interest, and eyerolls. This week, the story that garnered the biggest eye roll ever was the one about tearing down “racist statues of white Jesus.” Now, I get that most representations of Jesus we see are not truly reflective of what Jesus looked like as a Judean man. Is that a result of racism? Ummm, no. It’s because people tend to create mental, and therefore physical, depictions from their own frame of reference… all people, not just white. 

Visualization 101… Let me demonstrate. Picture this scene in your mind… A child rode a bicycle down the street and stopped at the park to play with a friend. After an hour, the friends parted and the child returned home. 

Did you picture it? Now, think about your mental picture. You most likely pictured a bicycle that looks like one you have ridden, possibly in your favorite color. The child would’ve been a boy or girl who looks like you or one you know well.  The street would’ve been familiar to you too. What did the kids play? Was it soccer, basketball, or on the swings? Probably what you would have played in a park! Your mental picture might have included a high-five goodbye or a cellphone check-in depending on your experiences. You and I create mental depictions of events based on our own frame of reference.

History 101… America was settled by the Europeans.  Europeans for centuries have depicted Jesus to look like themselves and therefore, each country that they colonized reflected those depictions.  Colonization is not a new concept.  When Rome was a world dominating power, they also sent leaders and troops to established colonies that reflected Roman culture.  It’s what conquering countries did historically. 

Jesus 101… Will the real Jesus, please stand up!  What did Jesus really look like? Since Jesus was Judean born, He most likely had brown skin and brown eyes. His muscle structure would have reflected His work as a carpenter.  Like men of His day, He probably sported facial hair and a head full of curly hair that rested on His collar.1 

The writers of the New Testament didn’t take the time to describe Jesus’ physical attributes to us. In the overall scheme of things, did it really matter? No. Why? Because the writers were much more focused on what Jesus’ character “looked like.” Jesus came to earth equally God and human so that He could bring Salvation to ALL people! His interactions with others reflected the character of God.  Jesus’ life is an incredible example of someone who ministered cross-culturally, across gender lines, to all age groups, disregarding social expectations, ignoring political agendas, and interacting with all socio-economic groups!

Take a gander* for yourself at what the real Jesus “looked like:”

  • Jesus ignored custom by teaching women (custom stated that women shouldn’t be taught because they were untrustworthy and worthless). (Luke 10, John 6 are two examples)
  • Even though Romans ruled over and oppressed the Jews, Jesus healed the daughter of a Roman Ruler, the servant of Roman Centurion, and the son of a royal official. (Matt 9, Matt 8, John 4 respectively)
  • Jesus ministered to the untouchables. He was not afraid to talk to AND even touch those who were considered unclean. (Matt 8-man with leprosy, Matt 9-the bleeding woman)
  • Contrary to the religious mindset, Jesus spent time with the “sinners” of His day which included tax collectors who cheated the people in the name of the government. He declared the criminal on the cross as welcome in Paradise and loved Judas for three years as part of His inner circle in spite of the knowledge that Judas would betray Him. (Matthew 9, Luke 19)
  • Jesus cared about rich (Nicodemus), the working class (the disciples and the crowds of people who followed Him), and the poor.
  • Without thought to gender, age, or economic status, Jesus healed the disadvantaged and hurting whether deaf, dumb, crippled, blind, or demon possessed.
  • Jesus crossed racial barriers and gender barriers when He spoke to the Greek woman in Mark 15 and the Samaritan woman and her town in John 4.
  • When the disciples considered children a nuisance, Jesus welcomed the messy neighborhood kids, hugged them and blessed them! (Mark 10)
  • Jesus told His disciples to preach the Gospel (good news) to Gentiles and Samaritans in Matthew 10.  He told you and I that the good news of the Kingdom of God was to be preached to all nations! Mark 3:10, Matt. 28:19-20)

Call it cliché, but when I listen to the political, social, and relational rhetoric splashing across social media, my question is WWJD? What Would Jesus Do if faced with today’s issues? I can tell you what He would not do… He would not cheer as people violently hurt and destroy; He would not hashtag and holler; He would not flood social media with conspiracy theories; He would not callously dismiss those who disagreed with His point of view. On the contrary, He would be in the trenches helping those in need, holding the hurting, weeping with those who weep, and being an agent of healing wherever He went. How do I know? It’s not hard to figure out if you look at His MO… He spent time with those who disagreed with Him. He listened and discussed ideas. He challenged those who thought they represented truth, but only represented their version of it. He loved, healed, and honored regardless of race, gender, social standing, or political alliance. 

Do you consider yourself a follower of Jesus like I do? Is the real Jesus evident in our lives? His instructions for us are the same as they were when He walked on the earth: Be salt, be light, let your good deeds bring glory to the Father, go and sin no more, love your enemies, give to those in need, do not worry, pray, do to others what you want them to do to you (Matthew 5-7).  All of these are fabulous concrete ways to look like the real Jesus and impact our world!

But… let’s not forget the most important expectation laid out for us: love God first and then love people… all people (Matt. 22:35-39).  What would Jesus do today? He would love people so well, that they would hunger for the Truth reflected in His eyes!  Consider this, when we devalue others (even in our minds) because of their political views, financial status, age, gender, race, or life choices, we lose authority and opportunity to speak into their lives. What does loving God look like? Obedience. What does loving people look like? Kindness, forgiveness, grace, patience, humility, protection, and selflessness. (I Corinthians 13:4-7). If we attempt to speak truth without God’s type of love, we are simply a noise maker adding to the chaos (I Corinthians 13:1). However, when we love others well, we will find an open door to speak life and truth because our actions demonstrate compassion and authenticity.

I encourage you… ask yourself what I am asking myself.  Are my interactions with others, personally or virtually, adding to the chaos and division? Or are they making others feel valued in a way that opens the door for healthy interaction and demonstration of the truth of God’s love. Is the real Jesus standing up in us? His love is the difference between being a noise-maker and a world-changer!

Dear Lord, May we be accurate representations of your love in our homes, in our neighborhoods, in our work places, and online! Help us to value others the way You do! Remind us to weep with those who weep and be agents of healing to this world. May our deeds bring glory to You! We can’t do it on our own, help us, Jesus! Amen!

Live Loved, Be Love,

1British anatomical artist, Richard Neave’s, rendering of men during Jesus’ time (left & middle).

*This list is certainly not all inclusive. The gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are filled with evidence of Jesus’ love for everyone.  He even spoke truth to the religious people who were determined that He was sent by satan. It’s this group of hypocritical people that He challenged repeatedly because they perpetuated a dead form of “worship” and hindered people from encountering the true God.

Pathways to Joy: Mindful Rest

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The simplicity of this discipline makes it a no-brainer. We value the concept of rest; yet, many of us fail to purposefully incorporate it in our lifestyle. 

Curiously enough, the rest I’m referring to is a verb. It is the act of deliberately ceasing from activity in order to refresh oneself! Being aware of your need to rest is the first step in this pathway to joy. Honestly, I’m a bit like the Energizer Bunny™. Maybe you’re like me, having a tendency to stay on the move, physically and mentally, all day long until the clock demands that I step into my bedtime routine (which is another round of activities before my head hits the pillow).

But mindful rest is different than sleep. It is giving your mind and body an opportunity to actually abstain from activity. Here is where step two comes in… It is CHOOSING to throw up the stop sign to racing thoughts, time demands, and manic media. This is a form of self-care that no one else can enforce but you. A day off will help, daddy duty will make it easier, unplugging certainly paves the way, but only you can embrace mindful rest.

Why is mindful rest a pathway to joy? There is something utterly refreshing when we disconnect ourselves from the need to perform, solve, or accomplish and instead, allow ourselves to just be. Instead of racing, our minds wander aimlessly through paths of peacefulness embracing the simple beauty of being alive.

I can hear the excuses now…

  • You don’t understand!
  • I have too much on my plate.
  • What about the kids?
  • Yeah, right… like that’s going to happen.
  • You clearly don’t have the responsibilities I do.

You’re right, I don’t know what you’re up against. I only know that in my world, I was going 7 days a week trying to be the wife my husband could brag about, the mom that brought home the bacon and fried it up in a pan, the co-worker who filled in gaps, the teacher that students would never forget, the blogger with captivating posts, and the volunteer that never quit serving.

BUT, I realized that not creating moments of mindful rest meant that all of those roles were suffering. To be effective, I needed to create mini-mind breaks daily.

What does a mini-mind break look like? That depends on you. It might mean closing your office door, putting your feet up on your desk and drinking a fresh soda!  It might mean locking the bathroom door and sitting in a dry tub with a pillow behind your head while the family cleans up from dinner. It could be a quiet walk in the park, window shopping at the mall, reading a chapter from a favorite book, or listening to your favorite band and dancing like no one is watching! Regardless, mindful moments are times when you deliberately set aside the demands to perform, evaluate, solve, or accomplish. Step three in this pathway to joy is exploring what simple activity can enable you to mentally unplug from life’s demands.

No matter what your mindful rest looks like, I can imagine what it will feel like!  It’s as if you’re reclining in a hammock strung snugly between two trees.  You gently swing back and forth as a breeze drifts over your relaxed body. A sense of peace allows your brain to wander aimlessly. Deep breaths refresh your body as a smile simmers in your chest.

My experience has been that these moments cause thankful thoughts to surface… often the things I’m thankful for are the very things that I’ve been stressing about!  It’s like the reset button has been pressed and my focus shifts from frustration to thankfulness, thus allowing joy to bubble up!

Your mindful rest probably won’t last for long, but it’s enough… enough to find your balance, enough to ease muscle stress, enough to recharge your mind, enough to enable you to go back into the battle of conquering your own slice of the world!

Mindful rest is not selfish! In fact, it is selfless in that you are empowering yourself to do what you need to do more effectively.  As you develop the skill of mini-mind breaks, share it with others in your world. Be open to sharing responsibilities so that mindful rest can be part of your team and family routines. Teach your children to actively rest as an avenue of self-care. You and your family will become healthier in the process.

One more thought: Setting aside a 24 hour period each week is also beneficial.  This is a different aspect of rest, it is rest as a noun. This rest involves a set period of time to engage in recreation and relaxation instead of responsibilities. Much like mindful rest, though only 24 hours, it is enough to reset your equilibrium, refresh your appreciation for life, and recharge yourself by engaging in something you enjoy!

Mindful rest is a wonderful pathway to joy, but it isn’t really my idea. It’s one that God designed from the very beginning of creation! He chose to rest after 6 days of creating awesomeness!1 He declared one day a week as a day of rest.2 Jesus Himself rested and called His disciples to do the same.3 Don’t ask me why it took me so long to figure it out, I’m just glad I did!

I pray that you are able to find some mindful rest today! May you experience refreshing moments that allow thankfulness, and ultimately joy, to refresh you physically, spiritually, and emotionally!

Live loved!

1Genesis 2:2-3, Hebrews 4:4

2Exodus 20:8, The word holy here means “set apart”

3Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16, Luke 8:23, Mark 6:31

Pathways to Joy: #NotAlone

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Have you ever been given the gift of #notalone? It’s a beautiful moment when you open up your heart and share a painful journey, a deep struggle, or a raging battle and the listener looks at you with understanding and assures you that you are not alone.  Maybe they’ve also fought your battle or they’ve endured a heart-rending experience that rocked their own world… and survived. Maybe their gift of #notalone is the willingness to walk with you through your valley and celebrate with you on the other side. Knowing that we are not alone lifts our spirits in difficult seasons.

Yet, we know that having someone journey with us does not necessarily spark joy.   So how does #notalone become a pathway to joy?

Let me share with you a beautiful piece of poetic truth found in Psalm 139:

1 Lord, You know everything there is to know about me.
2 You perceive every movement of my heart and soul,
and You understand my every thought before it even enters my mind.
3–4 You are so intimately aware of me, Lord.
You read my heart like an open book
and You know all the words I’m about to speak
before I even start a sentence!
You know every step I will take before my journey even begins.
5 You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way,
and in kindness You follow behind me
to spare me from the harm of my past.[a]
With Your hand of love upon my life,
You impart a blessing to me.
6 This is just too wonderful, deep, and incomprehensible!
Your understanding of me brings me wonder and strength.[b]
7 Where could I go from your Spirit?
Where could I run and hide from Your face?
8 If I go up to heaven, You’re there!
If I go down to the realm of the dead, You’re there too!
9 If I fly with wings into the shining dawn, You’re there!
If I fly into the radiant sunset, You’re there waiting![c]
10 Wherever I go, Your hand will guide me;
Your strength will empower me.
11 It’s impossible to disappear from You
or to ask the darkness to hide me,
for Your presence is everywhere, bringing light into my night.
12 There is no such thing as darkness with You.
The night, to You, is as bright as the day;
there’s no difference between the two.
13 You formed my innermost being, shaping my delicate inside
and my intricate outside,
and wove them all together in my mother’s womb.[d]
14 I thank you, God, for making me so mysteriously complex!
Everything You do is marvelously breathtaking.
It simply amazes me to think about it!
How thoroughly You know me, Lord!
15 You even formed every bone in my body
when You created me in the secret place,[e]
carefully, skillfully shaping me[f] from nothing to something.
16 You saw who You created me to be before I became me![g]
Before I’d ever seen the light of day,
the number of days You planned for me
were already recorded in your book.[h]
17–18 Every single moment You are thinking of me!
How precious and wonderful to consider
that You cherish me constantly in Your every thought!
O God, Your desires toward me are more
than the grains of sand on every shore!
When I awake each morning, You’re still with me.

(The Passion Translation, emphasis added)

Read it once, twice, even three times! Let the truth of His presence wash over you. God is always with you!  Everyone else in your life may have abandoned you, but God never will!

“The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake {abandon} you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

The Passion Translation says it this way in Hebrews 13:5: “…for you always have God’s presence. For hasn’t He promised you, ‘I will never leave you alone, never! And I will not loosen my grip on your life!’” He is holding you safe in His arms and He won’t let go! What a beautiful picture of a father’s love! 

When we are hurting, angry, ashamed, or questioning, our tendency is to run away from God. Many of us have been taught that God is an angry, militant master just waiting for us to screw up so that He can drop the gavel and pass sentence on us.  But while He is holy (thus the need for Jesus’ sacrifice to cover our sin), He is a loving Father who adores us and is waiting to give us the blessings He has stored up for His children.  He is waiting for you to turn your face to Him so He can be everything you need. Instead of running away, run to Him! He is waiting with arms open wide!

“I am Yahweh, your mighty God! I grip your right hand and won’t let you go! I whisper to you: ‘Don’t be afraid; I am here to help you!’” Isaiah 41:13 TPT

Trouble will come, that’s the reality of life.  No one is exempt. But here’s another promise: “But now, this is what the Lord says—He who created you, Jacob, He who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:1-2 NIV

You are not alone! Even in your darkest time, your deepest pain, your most desperate situation, He is near. Whisper His name, allow His love to wash over you. Run to Him! #notalone!

My prayer for you today is that you would feel the presence of a loving God! That you would feel His loving arms wrapped around you and His voice calling your name. You are not alone!

Live Loved,

P.S. Isaiah 49 is one of my favorite Scriptures! I love the idea that God has tattooed my name on His hand (as if He would ever forget!) 🙂 If you’ve never read The Passion Translation, I encourage you to explore it (not all books have yet been translated but you can read: Isaiah, Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, and the New Testament). The translators also include many footnotes to help us understand what the inspired Biblical authors were trying to communicate to us.