Be Jesus To Me

Be Jesus To Me

I had the thought the other day that as we endeavor to grow, to learn about our faith and explore the mysteries of our relationship with Jesus Christ, we often become isolated from those who have not or do not study the issues of Christianity as much as we do. Everything from the complexity with which we explore issues to the language that we use separates us from others.

In light of this, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to distill the essence of a life of Christian faith and service in such a way that despite any situation I can know if I am appropriately oriented towards others the way that Christ calls me to. How to express how I am suppose to serve others?
Note: Jesus already answered this when he was asked which was the greatest commandment:

³⁶“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” ³⁷Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” –Matthew 22:36-39

What I keep coming back to is:

BE JESUS TO ME

This approach is simple, yet the power and truth in that phrase is amazing.

I am broken. I need a Redeemer. I need Jesus. You are the Body of Christ.

BE JESUS TO ME

On Monday, Molly Piper (who I met at the Christian Web Conference earlier this year) posted a powerful story of how a friend was Jesus to them through the simple act of reading a book before he gave it to them.

It’s not my story to tell so you should definitely read Molly’s post here.

What you see is that this gentleman willingly took on their pain, did not shy away from the unknown, did not avoid their suffering. Because he loves them.

This was no quick-fix, at-arms-length gift from someone who didn’t know how to handle someone like me. He had decided very consciously to enter into our pain, into our hell, even just for 184 pages. But that decision meant more to me than almost anything. It was a decision to love.

You see the power and love in this man’s gesture. Now imagine the love that must have driven Jesus to endure infinitely greater suffering, suffering that was not His to bear. What love must it be that He willingly sacrificed Himself, was tortured and died nailed to a tree — our suffering, our pain.

Do you know that Jesus Christ, God Himself, loves you so much that he entered into your pain, into your hell, and not just for 184 pages but to the extent that He was completely separated from God, so that you might live? Do you know this? Who do you know who needs to know this? To experience this love? Be Jesus to them.

The world is broken.

The world needs Jesus.

We ARE the Body of Christ.

Be Jesus to me.