"He's just a carpenter." -Mark 6:3
"No stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him." -Isaiah 53:2
"He had to enter into every detail of human life. Then, when he came before God as a high priest to get rid of the people's sins, he would have already experienced it all himself - all the pain, all the testing - and would be able to help where help was needed." -Hebrews 2:17-18
Today's reading takes us to the dusty village of Nazareth. It is brought to our attention that jesus is working there as a carpenter and that he is being raised by his mother Mary, alone. Joseph must have died. The passages above show us that others around jesus didn't see anything extraordnary about his childhood. He did a job that was dingy, hard, and probably caused a lot of BO! He is living among a bunch of people who are not thought of by their government as more than laborers. He lived in a simple place and did a mundane job. He worked for others in a job of service.
I can kind of get a glimpse into God's reasoning for sending his Son to live among us. I can see that jesus would really relate to us because of his childhood and job in these stories that are referenced above. It makes me want to thank God for showing us that he understands. I know that he knows and that helps. Sometimes I really want to shake my fist at Him and complain about my circumstances. At least Jesus was here and felt some of the same emotions. He probably didn't experience all of it the same way that I do, but he was here and he did endure "earth's toughest pain".
1 comment:
I have a very hard time understanding why Jesus would endure so much pain just to relate to us and with us.
But then I realize I don't understand how big of a deal it is that Jesus gave up His place of position, power, recognition, esteem, just to relate to me!
I have never visited Heaven or seen God's throne where He dwells (I desire to constant experience this with in His presence). If that was the case I think I would understand and appreciate more the humilty that Jesus possessed.
Sometimes I am so caught up in my own life that I don't even see the mess I am really in, and the desperateness of needing a savior. I think of it like going to someone elses house that is beautiful. Inside it is decorated perfectly, it is clean, they have a lovely family. All of a sudden my place that I live comfortably in with the trash on the floor, I didn't pick up, doesn't seem to match up. But then to picture the person who owned the beautiful house saying "I want You to have my house and I will take yours with all its repairs, dirtyness etc." blows me away. Because this is what Christ did in a way. He gave up His beautiful, perfect, place, that even are best thought can not do justice to and came to be in our mess so He could relate with us! Talk about a perfect bridegoom! He is willing to do whatever it took to COMMUNICATE, RELATE, LOVE us and show us HE UNDERSTANDS!
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