Have you heard this song? Has it gripped your heart like it has mine?
The beauty of this song is that it is a simple, yet powerful, Truth!
“‘Cause Your name is power Your name is healing Your name is life Break every stronghold Shine through the shadows Burn like a fire”1 (Additional lyrics below)
When we speak the name of Jesus, there are ripples of power that radiate through the spirit realm!
Evangelist Steve Hill testified that at his lowest point, proclaiming himself an atheist, in the midst of drug-induced convulsions, he called out the name of Jesus until minutes later, he found himself sitting upright, completely delivered! There’s power in the name of Jesus!
When I think of how the world abuses the name of Jesus, it grieves my heart. How it must hurt the ears of the Lord! Conversely, imagine the oil of beauty that flows over His ears when we speak the name of Jesus in faith and confidence! Imagine the joy that fills His heart when we ascribe honor and glory to His name! How that must bring a smile to His face!
Jesus! What an incredible name! What a glorious name! What a powerful name2! The authority inherent in the name of Jesus is available to us! We are welcome to come boldly before His throne, ask in His name, and stand in faith believing that He will meet us right where we are!
Live loved,
1Songwriters: Jesse Reeves / Dustin Smith / Abby Benton / Raina Patt / Kristen Dutton / Carlene Prince
My gym workouts are made bearable by three things: I know I need them, I go with my handsome hubby, and I watch podcasts that feed my spirit!
Today’s teaching came with a challenge*:
“Become unoffendable!”1
Wow… Think about that for a bit. I know it made me pause and process.
Our current American culture seems to be looking for offense around every rock and tree. People of all ages and socioeconomic levels are embracing the tendency to be offended by any opinion that differs than their own.
As believers, we should be different, right?
Sadly, Christians have a well-deserved reputation of being easily offended. We (and I use that word broadly) may find offense in how people dress, their political views, their colorful vocabulary, their opinions, and so on.
Conversely, Jesus was not offended… not by the poor, or by the demon-possessed, or by the coarse laborers, or by those caught in sin. In fact, Jesus was not even offended by the doubters or the soldiers that nailed Him to the cross.
Jesus was and is the epitome of “Unoffendable!”
Have you ever found yourself in a conversation with a new friend and felt a real connection to them? They like the same music as you, share the same tastes in food, and even have similar views on raising kids. You think, “Wow, this is a great person. I hope we can hang out again!” But then, a subject comes up that throws a wrench in that plan… a strong moral opinion, an opposing political view, a different stand on social topic, etc. and you emotionally slam on the brakes. “Woah, I guess we are not as in sync a I imagined! I can’t believe they think that way.” Thus begins an emotional withdrawal process because they are not as like us as we originally thought.
When we encounter people like ourselves, we feel validated. Our human tendencies are to gravitate towards people who are similar to us. We like when we see ourselves reflected in others! However, we give ourselves permission to dislike or disassociate ourselves from people who are different than us. We may even allow ourselves to dishonor people who do not share our beliefs or our way of life. This is not the example that Jesus set for you and I.
{Caveat: There’s a difference between honoring people and allowing people authority in our lives. It is not wise or healthy to allow just anyone the opportunity to speak into our lives. However, we should honor all people as valuable.}
Consider Philippians 2:3-5 in the Passion Translation:
3 Be free from pride-filled opinions, for they will only harm your cherished unity. Don’t allow self-promotion to hide in your hearts, but in authentic humility put others first and view others as more important than yourselves. 4 Abandon every display of selfishness. Possess a greater concern for what matters to others instead of your own interests. 5 And consider the example that Jesus, the Anointed One, has set before us. Let his mindset become your motivation.
How easy it is for us, believers or not, to major on the minors! As a friend recently said, “We tend to elevate the ways we are different instead of celebrating the ways we are the same.”2 Not only should we celebrate ways that we are the same, but we should choose to honor others in spite of or even because of our differences. We don’t have to agree with others to appreciate who they are as a person. The beauty of diversity is the richness it brings to our sometimes ethnocentric lives.
WWJD is more than a slogan! It is a reminder to us to think like Jesus thinks! We as believers have the mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2:16) and the power of the Holy Spirit vibrating in us! When we encounter people who believe differently than us, spout contrary opinions, or embrace a lifestyle contrary to our way of thinking, we can still choose to honor them and treat them with the love that the Heavenly Father carries in His heart for them. We can choose to be unoffendable!
I’m convicted! I’m challenged! How about you?
Live Loved,
1Listen to Danny Silk’s complete teaching on being unoffendable here.
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.
