No Longer Following a false christ part 3
December 27th 2006 12:24
I read Matthew14 today and I saw something I hadn't seen before.
The first thing I saw is that when John the Baptist was killed, his disciples collected the body and then they told Jesus about his death. Jesus went somewhere to be alone, to chill out, think think about things. And when people heard where He was going, they gathered in droves to follow Him.
I thought about this for awhile, and tried to see it as plainly as I could. Here is a man that has just heard of the death of a close family member (he and John were cousins) someone He more than likely knew very well, so He does the natural thing and decides to get some time alone. I speak for myself right now. If I was in this position, wanting some time alone after a really bad piece of news, 5000 men bringing their women and children with them asking me to help them, encourage them, heal them, teach them etc wouldn't help me feel better. I'd say something terrible, I'd tell them to give me some space. But He didn't. He put His grief aside, and then turned and took care of them.
I know that Jesus was both man and God, and I think that sometimes we forget that. We remember that He had power and could do stuff, but we forget so quickly that He was also as vulnerable as you or I. He felt pain, He felt anguish. It happened quite a few times in the Gospels that He sighed, He wept. But as much as He was man, He was also God. At the call of 5000 needy men He turned away from self and became selfless. After He had seen to their needs, He took the time that He needed, but only after He had made sure that they had been fed.
I see this and I realise that I cannot be unlike this. I need to be as much like this as I can. If I have to be there for someone, then I have to be there for that someone, even if I hurt or want to be alone. after I am done with that, I will take my time for myself, make sure I don't burn out, make sure I heal up.
JZ
The first thing I saw is that when John the Baptist was killed, his disciples collected the body and then they told Jesus about his death. Jesus went somewhere to be alone, to chill out, think think about things. And when people heard where He was going, they gathered in droves to follow Him.
I thought about this for awhile, and tried to see it as plainly as I could. Here is a man that has just heard of the death of a close family member (he and John were cousins) someone He more than likely knew very well, so He does the natural thing and decides to get some time alone. I speak for myself right now. If I was in this position, wanting some time alone after a really bad piece of news, 5000 men bringing their women and children with them asking me to help them, encourage them, heal them, teach them etc wouldn't help me feel better. I'd say something terrible, I'd tell them to give me some space. But He didn't. He put His grief aside, and then turned and took care of them.
I know that Jesus was both man and God, and I think that sometimes we forget that. We remember that He had power and could do stuff, but we forget so quickly that He was also as vulnerable as you or I. He felt pain, He felt anguish. It happened quite a few times in the Gospels that He sighed, He wept. But as much as He was man, He was also God. At the call of 5000 needy men He turned away from self and became selfless. After He had seen to their needs, He took the time that He needed, but only after He had made sure that they had been fed.
I see this and I realise that I cannot be unlike this. I need to be as much like this as I can. If I have to be there for someone, then I have to be there for that someone, even if I hurt or want to be alone. after I am done with that, I will take my time for myself, make sure I don't burn out, make sure I heal up.
JZ
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Comment by hewhocutsdown
Letters from a Skeptic (Greg Boyd)
Subversion of Christianity (Jacques Ellul)
Propaganda (Ellul again)
The Politics Of Jesus (John Howard Yoder)
The Great Divorce (C.S. Lewis)
A Generous Orthodoxy (Brian McLaren)
Thy Kingdom Come: How the Religious Right Distorts the Faith and Threatens America
and
Is Belief in God Good, Bad, or Irrelevant?: A Professor and a Punk Rocker Discuss Science, Religion, Naturalism, and Christianity
Heh heh. Gift cards rock.
Comment by JoshZ
A Simple Christian
I'm getting through Subversion and would love to get some more of this guy's stuff at some time.
Dude, you should start one of these.
JZ
Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
How much money should you give in charity?
Or, to give an example closer to your post, how much time should you spend in volunteering?
Comment by JoshZ
A Simple Christian
The other issue II wanted to raise was the whole Divine Nature and Human Condition that we see in Christ all the time, but I don't think I did a good enough job.
To answer your questions though....
It's a tough one. I am probably going to do a Chesterton on this one (and by that I don't mean light a cigar and make a smartass remark) but simply go with the most poetic and practical solution. Do all that you can without killing or crippling yourself, or leaving yourself unable to fulfil your obligations unless killing or crippling yourself is what you HAVE to do.
Helping people out is mandatory. Shouldering their burdens, hearing their troubles also mandatory. But unless their is no other way you can't kill yourself.
Hopefully that helped.
JZ
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
Thought provoking JoshZ
Comment by JoshZ
A Simple Christian
I can remember hearing a message from a guy named John Maxwell. He writes leadership books. One thing he said that really stuck with me was "We spend alot of time preaching messages about how Jesus went looking for people. We don't often speak about the times when He tried to avoid them."
The best thing we can give people Ash is a healthy self. It is the best thing I can give my friends, family, girlfriend and everyone else around me. In order to do that, I need to keep myself healthy. That means both work out stuff (helping people) and taking time to let the muscles rest.
JZ
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
Yeah I hear what you are saying, but there are times when I just think - I have given enough of myself now, now it is time for me. I feel really guilty at these times, but you just reach the end of your tether.
I guess I just get too caught up in work and studies and dont take enough time out to enjoy the world. this has changed this year I have had a few people on Orble here change my outlook on life.
Have a great 2007
Ash
Comment by JoshZ
A Simple Christian
It's a good arguement, or at least, a good discussion.
How much is too much and how little is too little?
Don't know.
I do take time out for myself and I will admit, unless I take far too much time I feel fine. Could be a sign of me being extremely selfish.
I think that the key is balance. I also think it was Ecclesiastes in the Bible that was the best example of everything. To everything, there is a season.
JZ