BALANCED – – – LIKE JESUS

I wanted to put the title this way:
BALANCED – – – LIKE JESUS ?

But I thought I would first mention some common applications of balance from Jesus in our day.

— Psychologists write books and get on programs to promote their insights and new prescriptions for peace, love, and happiness.
They emphasize balance, and demonstrate with humor how they have found it in their own lives.
And they point to Jesus as the example for showing a balanced approach and level-headed response to all kinds of people and situations and problems.
To be honest, I often react with some skepticism—they seem to be too good to be true, too ‘got it together’ to be real, too much for me to follow their formulas, in my world.

— Educator professionals point to Jesus for always having the perfect story, the perfect question, the perfect illustration for every situation.
Totally true, because He was God and had it all intellectually to respond the best way.
But then Jesus’ ‘balance’ of emotions is often overlooked or minimized.
In our zeal to present Jesus’ manner as even keel, without bluster or rants or threats, or raising His voice, we miss the real balance Jesus showed as God and man.
Jesus was God, “sent from God”, to do the work only God could do.
But why was He a man ?
So we could relate to Him in all kinds of ways:
-tired
-hungry
-angry
-tempted
-celebrating
-drinking
-hurting
-weak
-crying

— Preachers sometimes think their messages should be smooth and not make waves, to maintain balance.
Avoid controversial topics and controversial texts.
The last thing—what you don’t want—is to get a negative label, like a ‘hellfire and brimstone’ preacher.
So, many preachers end up focused on making people comfortable—happiness over righteousness.
Many preachers have to skip a lot of the things Jesus said, because they might (they will) be taken the wrong way.

– – –

Now the alternate title:
BALANCED – – – LIKE JESUS ?

Was Jesus ‘balanced’ as we like to think ?
If you consider all the wide range of Jesus’ recorded interactions, words, emotions, judgments, combined, you could say Jesus was balanced.
But if you choose only the smooth, peaceful, loving, and forgiving parts of Jesus’ life that you are comfortable with, that does not make Jesus balanced.

I’m glad the Bible records the real reactions of Jesus when He was confronted with tough stuff and bad people.

— Before Jesus started His ministry, He went to the wilderness (desert) “to be tempted by the devil”.
He fasted forty days, and then He was hungry, and then the devil showed up.
It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t easy, it wasn’t nice and smooth—it really tested Jesus.
Remember, a test is not a test unless it tests you.
Meek and mild, gentle Jesus never would have survived satan’s onslaught under those conditions.
He got tough with the devil and used the sword of the Word of God over and over until He won, and the devil left—for a while.

— If Jesus was not also tough as nails, He would not have survived the popularity when multitudes flocked to Him everywhere.
In fact, at that very time, Jesus said hard things that thinned the crowds to nothing except His disciples.

— Jesus cried over cities that rejected Him, and then pronounced scathing judgments on them.

— Jesus blasted the religious leaders of the day with verbal barrages that went on and on.
He raked them over the coals with descriptions and choice words and name-calling that most preachers today wouldn’t read from the pulpit.

— Jesus got physically violent when He found His Father’s House, the Temple, used as a market place.
He ran everybody (and the animals) out with a whip that He made Himself, and yelled (to be heard above the noise and mayhem He created), “My Father’s House shall be called a House of Prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.”

— Jesus kicked out a lot of demons, with firm authority, not sweet and soft.
He also warned about the disaster if someone has his ‘house’ cleaned from demons and leaves it empty.

— Would you believe Jesus once asked His disciples if they had any weapons (swords).
When they said, “Two”, Jesus said that was enough.

— When the mob of soldiers came to arrest Jesus at night, He asked who they were looking for.
When they said, “Jesus of Nazareth”, and He said, “I am He”, they all fell backward on the ground.
So He asked them again.
Truthfully, I get personal, human satisfaction out of that.

– – –

Sometimes, many times, Jesus came on strong, put people in their place, in no uncertain terms.
And—I thank Him for showing mercy, so I could be saved.
But don’t ever trifle with His justice and His wrath.
Remember, Jesus seriously held back His power while He was here the first time.
He will show no restraint the second time.
Get ready, now.
Ask Him to forgive your sins and write your name in His Book.