Stories of Women reveal.... (spoiler) Jesus!
When people say they aspire to be like Jesus, I can't help but agree that the ultimate goal is to be as COOL as Jesus! The guy's a stud.
A few notes:
1. Woman at the well and Jesus' self-emptying:
Sonshine theme that is hit over and over again. The idea of emptying oneself in order to 1) be filled with Jesus and 2) model to campers the importance of humility and pruning (I will always think of poor Kelly Kurtenbach when I hear that word now) is huge! Jesus is the ultimate archetype for all things but I believe that the way he shatters expectations of a Messiah and makes a fool of himself, the more perfect of a Messiah he becomes.
2. Woman at Simon's house/the well/stoning:
Here again, Jesus defies all expectations, social norms, culture, gender separations, class separations. With each story of a woman, one of the main points drilled in is that Jesus is a man in the business of breaking the molds. He discards the religious taboos and instead replaces it with love, compassion, mercy, grace.
3. Woman at Simon's house again: the inevitable decision
Believe or be offended. Wow ain't this the truth. In our over-sensitive society today, it's inevitable that people are going to be offended by something, especially if it has to do with Jesus! Though it's difficult, I sometimes sit back, watch the uncomfortable-ness around me and think, ahhh God must be present. If he wasn't, our wicked society would be just fine and dandy going about our wicked ways. It's the need and want to be uncomfortable that God uses to pull us back in towards him. As Bailey says, "evil cannot be redeemed until it is exposed"-- *cringe*.
4. Woman at the well: the toughest race
I love this part. Through every test, God is proving his love for us. "A good coach honors a good runner by placing her in the toughest race" -- Amen. This line reeks of summer as the tough camper stories come marching in, the logistics start to unravel, the weight of exhaustion becomes too heavy, our own personal sin becomes exposed; all tough races the Lord blesses us to run in. All while he's by our side. That, my friends, is the purest form of messy, mushy-gushy, absolute love.
A few notes:
1. Woman at the well and Jesus' self-emptying:
Sonshine theme that is hit over and over again. The idea of emptying oneself in order to 1) be filled with Jesus and 2) model to campers the importance of humility and pruning (I will always think of poor Kelly Kurtenbach when I hear that word now) is huge! Jesus is the ultimate archetype for all things but I believe that the way he shatters expectations of a Messiah and makes a fool of himself, the more perfect of a Messiah he becomes.
2. Woman at Simon's house/the well/stoning:
Here again, Jesus defies all expectations, social norms, culture, gender separations, class separations. With each story of a woman, one of the main points drilled in is that Jesus is a man in the business of breaking the molds. He discards the religious taboos and instead replaces it with love, compassion, mercy, grace.
3. Woman at Simon's house again: the inevitable decision
Believe or be offended. Wow ain't this the truth. In our over-sensitive society today, it's inevitable that people are going to be offended by something, especially if it has to do with Jesus! Though it's difficult, I sometimes sit back, watch the uncomfortable-ness around me and think, ahhh God must be present. If he wasn't, our wicked society would be just fine and dandy going about our wicked ways. It's the need and want to be uncomfortable that God uses to pull us back in towards him. As Bailey says, "evil cannot be redeemed until it is exposed"-- *cringe*.
4. Woman at the well: the toughest race
I love this part. Through every test, God is proving his love for us. "A good coach honors a good runner by placing her in the toughest race" -- Amen. This line reeks of summer as the tough camper stories come marching in, the logistics start to unravel, the weight of exhaustion becomes too heavy, our own personal sin becomes exposed; all tough races the Lord blesses us to run in. All while he's by our side. That, my friends, is the purest form of messy, mushy-gushy, absolute love.
When I read in your post "makes a fool of himself" Galatians 6:7 came to mind -- "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked." - This aspect of Christ (UNMOCKABILITY) is so supremely and divinely unprecedented and unique that I don't think it can be captured by words. It must be spiritually/intuitively felt. No matter what anyone ever says or does to Jesus His absolute humility and sovereign authority leave him un-mockable. When he in your words "makes a fool of himself" we're left with (as you point out) a deeper, more visceral appreciation of His "messianic perfection." When he's beaten, molested, crucified, and savagely mocked the authorities of this world with gaping mouths in awe proclaim, "surely this was the Son of God." --- "do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked."
ReplyDeleteEven today, when comedians and mockers mock Christ, they get laughs but in my experience their satire and scoffing at Christ himself always seems to fall flat even among their ardent fans/followers.
Thanks for directing me to Christ's inspiring unstoppable, unmockable "POWER HUMILITY"
THX LAUREN!