The Gentlest One

"Jesus didn't pick on people's flaws."

HE COULD HAVE called down 12 legions of angels but didn’t. There was the Son of God being berated by men who claimed to worship Him. Or the image they’d fashioned. The man in front of them wasn’t God in their human vision. Nor was all the good He’d done … the blind saw, the lame leapt, lepers were healed, and those oppressed of the devil set free … none of that was any more in their vision than their loss of political power. They had to lie to accuse Him. He’d done nothing wrong but was, instead, the fulfillment of thousands of years of prophecy. They couldn’t see it, being blinded by their hate.

How they reacted to Him was why He didn’t call for an army of angels. He saw past their behavior, and through the pain which lay before Him, to the victory of Resurrection and peace on earth, goodwill to men. Gentle Shepherd. Good, gentle, kind Shepherd. And us a whole lot of lost and angry sheep.

The voice in the pulpit was crass. I kept jigging my leg, a nervous habit which I’ve developed over years of practice. It releases energy. I couldn’t figure out why I was so nervous. He was a wonderful man of God who I genuinely liked. Why, then, was he talking like that? Jesus doesn’t talk like that. I’m going to keep repeating this, but the God of heaven and earth and the Son He sent to die for those lost and angry sheep, and the generations which followed, are nothing like what the church has drawn up. They are soft and gentle and kind. So patient and incredibly understanding. They are FORGIVING. We ought to reflect that in what we say and do. We don’t and we label it personality. We laugh and make excuses.

“If I really love people, I will never stop loving them. It will not matter what happens. Whatever things may happen, I will still continue to love. If I love, then, during all things, I will still continue to believe. If I love, then, during all things, I will still continue to hope for good things. If I love then, during all things, I will still continue to be patient and strong.” (1 Corinthians 13:7, EasyEnglish)

We walk most of our lives under our own strength and in our own wisdom and not in the Presence of God when the Scripture says we are to become a living sacrifice. In the next verse, we find out we must renew our mind (Romans 12:1-2). Both are our yielding to the Spirit so that He can do His work from us. To yield to something is voluntary. It requires submission to another, and submission gives that one control. Their having control requires us to NOT DO what we want, the way that we want, but instead, to give that one all of ourselves. This is how our Savior could lay down His life. He submitted His thoughts to the Father. He submitted His emotions. He felt things but did not allow His feelings to override the will of God. Knowing who He was and how powerful the Spirit was upon Him, instead of waving it in people’s faces, He yielded. The Word, which was in the beginning, which spoke this world into existence, who parted the sky from the sea, gave into the suffering of death so that those who cried out, “Crucify,” could be saved from what they could not see.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2)

“Submit yourselves therefore to God.” (James 4:7)

Wasn’t there another way? Well, yes and no. Speaking literally, as He said to Pilate, He was able to call for those legions of angels. Too, the Spirit could have offed the devil with the tiniest breath. But speaking from His nature, His faithful character, no, He did what only the Gentlest One would do. It simply had to be done that way for all things He’d promised to be fulfilled. Anyone else would have fought tooth-and-nail to find some other way. Which is how we got into this mess in the first place. He is longsuffering.

I greatly admire the apostle Paul and see in Him such a change in nature. He went from being an over-educated Pharisee, breathing out murder, to someone who loved everyone. He begins and ends His letters with such humility, and yet, we can read in what He says authority. Here again is Jesus. Time and time again, in the gospels, we read how people were amazed at the authority in His words. Yet, we see His kindness again and again. The centurion sent for Him to “speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed (Matthew 8:8).” He recognized Jesus’ authority. And also saw His gentleness that Jesus would speak healing for a Roman man like him.

We know other stories. We read Jesus’ defense of and kindness to the woman taken in adultery. He protected her then forgave her. We see Jesus raise Jairus’ daughter back to life and bid them give her something to eat. We hear Him say, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God (Mark 10:14).” I love “The Chosen’s” portrayal of Jesus’ love for children. Such a beautiful thing. We picture Jesus healing the man by the pool of Bethesda, a man who’d been in that condition for thirty-eight years. What tenderness He showed for that man’s weariness with life.

“Lord, I want everything that I say to make you happy. I want all my thoughts to please you. You are my Rock and you are my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14, EasyEnglish)

Our words spoken on Jesus’ behalf should reflect His heart for people. For WHOSOEVER. We can’t leave out those where we disagree with their politics, their lifestyle, their doctrine, their worship, their employment, their parenting style, their generosity. We can’t make unthinking marriage jokes which cause pain to others who’ve struggled there. We can’t overlook those who’ve battled their mind and relegate them simply to a “prayer project.” Prayer is our gift to God, but the battle in the mind as oppression or depression or possession is not simply a “wild story” in the pulpit. Jesus didn’t pick at people’s flaws. This is my greatest point here. When my life was dark and I cried out to Him, He spoke and treated me like His greatest treasure. My feelings mattered, my struggles were seen by Him, and He led me forward without my ever doubting the goodness and mercy of God. In fact, I marveled at it.

Paul said not to even eat food that would offend a weaker person. All foods are blessed. Yet if he ate what bothered someone else and caused them to doubt, then he said he was wrong to do it. And it’s more than simply avoiding what would cause strife but also keeping our mouth shut and not displaying it either. Our tone matters, our mannerisms, and to God, who knows our thoughts and intents, the motive of our heart is in His view. To be that living sacrifice, we give up our right to choose. Our next footstep is His, our next handhold, and that criticism we want to make, we don’t. We let it go, we don’t justify it, and we let God through His Spirit and His Word change our opinions. What if what used to make us angry didn’t anymore? What if what we overlooked and thought to be okay, what if now we felt God’s heart?

“My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.” (Proverbs 4:20-22)

Image by Natalia Lavrinenko from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com