If Jesus took on flesh today…

Jesus had no outward beauty to draw people to Him, I wonder if He walked into our services today if we would greet Him.

A middle eastern Jew, with brown skin, a carpenter’s son-would we include Him?

Humble, not ego driven, the one who would choose to wash feet instead of push His way to a platform-would we even notice Him?

Loving, honoring, and respectful of all people-would we try to persuade Him to love who we love and dislike who we dislike?

Interested in the least of these, the poor, the outcast, sinners/prostitutes/tax collectors, would we join their table or insist He leave them to join ours?

Non political, focused on representing heaven on earth/the Father’s will, would we try to convince Him to join our political party and campaign for our rights?

Unmarried and without a girlfriend, would He be banned from ministering in our churches or restricted to the least amount of responsibility in leadership? Would He be consistently pressured into finding a mate or allowed to be who the Father created Him to be?

Insistent on loving His enemies, would we join Him in His quest to build bridges instead of cliques?

Moved by the tears of the broken, would we lay down our pride and selfishness to sit with the broken?

Deeply moved with compassion to heal the sick, would we put aside the miracles are a side show to simply love the person right in front of us?

Taking the Gospel to those in need, would we join Jesus or simply watch from the sidelines or encourage Him to do everything?

Moved by the heart of the Father He would rally others to do the same. Would we join Jesus or tell Him, “I am not called to do that? Give me the assignment where I am most comfortable?”

Would we join Jesus or deny Jesus?

Would we follow Jesus or just be a fan of Jesus?

Would we cast aside our selfish ambition to truly be a disciple who begins to look like Jesus?

Would we change the world with Jesus or simply pray Jesus do something?

It is one thing to profess love for Jesus, it is quite another lay down our lives for Jesus.

Would Jesus be Lord, or an ala cart add on to enhance our lives yet cost us nothing?

Would we be willing to follow the loving King or simply remain in the stadiums cheering with our “I love Jesus” merch?

Are we spectators or lovers?

Sold out or only in it for fire insurance?

In love or in like with Jesus?

Love will cause us to lay our pride and selfishness aside to look out for our neighbor, the least, last, lost, broken.

Love will call us out of our comfort zones and onto the frontlines with Jesus.

Love will mend us over and over when the attacks of darkness seem relentless.

Love will propel us into a glorious heaven centered destiny where His name, the name above all names is glorified.

Love dissolves our prejudice and man made boundary lines.

Love destroys hatred, bigotry, and sexism and loudly proclaims, “In Christ all are one.” One Body, one church, one Lord!

Love pushes past political lines to say, “You too are made in the image of God.”

Love pushes past “Me first” and lives for “God first! God be glorified!!”

Love breaks the shackles of “Us vs Them,” and builds a table prepared with a feast to say, “The King loves you. I will treat you with dignity. Come to Jesus.”

Love seeks to reconcile the world to itself.

Love is not a concept, not a noun but a verb.

Love has a name. It’s Jesus!

May we seek Jesus, know Jesus, abide in Jesus, focus on Jesus, exalt Jesus, and align with the heart of Jesus.

Painting: Jewish Jesus of Nazareth (Source Pinterest)

Lovingly,

Erin Lamb