Category: Christianity and Discipleship

“That” Mary’s boy

If people haven’t changed much over the centuries and generations, and as Solomon said, “There’s nothing new under the sun”, I’ve been thinking lately about Jesus’ possible childhood challenges.

Did Jesus ever hear “Your mom was pregnant before she got married”? Was He taunted by neighborhood children who were spouting the gossip of their mothers? Was Jesus ever excluded from others because their moms didn’t think He was good enough to be around their precious ones?

Did Jesus have to see His mother excluded and whispered about behind a hand as they walked through the village? Did the upstanding citizens think Mary took advantage of Joseph as they repeated the story, “She was gone for a couple months and came back with a swollen belly”?

In a culture where Mary’s situation was not only scandalous but a stoning offense, was it likely Jesus grew as a child wondering about the story of His birth? He was a human, a child growing up in a world where people had problems believing the supernatural Word of God. He walked the earth and heard the voices. God was in the little boy’s body, but at that time, He was a little boy, subject to the hurts of stubbed toes and mean words.

How many people did Joseph and Mary tell that God had conceived the child in her? We don’t know. We know they went to Egypt for a while. We know they went back to their home town. We know gossips tongues didn’t originate in the 20th century.

The Word tells us that Jesus grew in wisdom (and height) with God, and with people. We know that once Jesus learned to read, He became aware of the truth of who He is. But when he was small, when the taunts of the children could wound and leave memories that break a child’s heart, did Jesus have to have faith in the Truth of what He heard in the middle of so many other noises? Did Jesus experience “less than” and shame and wishing He had a different beginning? Was Jesus’ heart ever broken?

Did Jesus as a man escape the memories of hearing His identity questioned? Even the devil used it. Remember the temptation? “IF you are the Son of God…”

Jesus was “tempted in all points” just like us. Not only did He not sin, but He did not remain oppressed by the hurts of others. Jesus Himself proclaimed that He is here to heal the broken hearted. He went back to the Father and sent the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who is still here, to take the broken hearts of women and men who were hurt as children, whether by abuse or bullies, whether for a short time or something endured for years.

Jesus is Healer. If the body is sick, maybe it’s because the heart is broken. If your physical heart is healthy, maybe your soul is shattered. Either way, Jesus is Healer. Compassionate. Understanding. Gentle toward us, powerful against our enemy.

Open the closed places in your soul where the wound is hiding, festering, a tool of the enemy to keep you oppressed. Jesus the Healer, that “Mary’s boy” who is God…heals. Forever and completely. Heals the broken heart.

Be healed.

I want it all.

“I want it all.”

I was, for lack of a better word, vehement. Frustrated at not seeing the miraculous, I started the conversation with, “I know You can strike me dead, but I’m not afraid of You.  You punished Jesus for me, and Your goodness has been my experience of Your mercy and grace. Your Word and Your faithfulness have been my guarantee.  You said “Ask and it will be given” so God, here goes.

“I want my life to show every promise You ever made, because You said, “In Christ, all the promises of God are Yes and Amen.”  I’m in Christ.

I want the peace that passes (human) understanding, because that’s what Jesus said He would leave me with.

I want You to pour healing into every person I touch, because You said You live in me and I will touch sick people and they will be well.

I want the deaf to hear, the blind to see, the withered arm to work, body parts to be replaced, the hungry to be fed, people’s faith not to fail, and demons to run in fear, because You said I would do what Jesus did.  So far, I’m running way behind in this area, God.  We know that.  I’m willing.  Let’s do it.  

I want the wealth of the sinner that is reserved for the righteous to pour into my finances so I can pour them into Your kingdom.  You made me righteous, so You qualified me for the wealth.  You said You give me the power to get wealth and add no sorrow to it.  You said people would thank You because of my giving.  I want so much money to give that people can only say, “Surely God has done that. In Your kingdom, I don’t need cash.  In this kingdom You have me living in, right use of cash brings You glory and sets people free from the oppression of poverty.  I want more money than I can ever use for myself.

I want to demonstrate Your love so powerfully that when they look at me, people don’t see a gray haired woman with no beauty, but that they see the love of God who surpasses beauty.

I want You.  And all that You gave.  I want Jesus and all that He bought. I want the knowledge of Your word to fill me.

  So, Holy Father, You said ask.  There it is.  I want it all.

I have run my race. Finished my course. But what did I do about my shoes?

When it comes to running shoes…and Christianity…

There are shoes designed for runners. They are engineered and designed for that purpose. Before that shoe is manufactured, the study of a human body in motion while running is made, including the impact, the effect of the impact on the body while the feet in those shoes connect with pavement, the way the foot strikes, the need for support placement on the sides and the bottom of the shoes, and all other pertinent knowledge is necessary to achieve success and bring life to that instrument, the shoe, that will impact the life of the runner.

Then the shoe goes through the process and to the stores, where there are two groups of people involved afterward. 
There is the buyer of the shoe. Let’s relate that to Christianity. The shoe buyer is the convert. She is the runner with sore, achy feet who is wanting something better because her running life isn’t as good as it should be. She knows there’s got to be something better so when someone recommends this new shoe, she buys it.This is much the way we all came to be Christians. Someone told us there was a better life in Christ and we longed for more because our life wasn’t “running” well.

There is also the shoe “broker”. We will call those people disciples. These are the people that have knowledge about what makes the shoe work. They understand the shoe. They sought understanding to know the benefits of it. They know the design of the shoe and the reason for the shoe. They know the cost, the time, the effort that was put into the planning, design and purpose, and thereby the true value of the shoe. They not only wear the shoe, but they promote the shoe, They are serious runners who have tried the shoe and found it to be the best shoe. They are the ones who give life to the shoe’s potential. Out of their love for other runners who, like themselves, need good shoes, they willingly go out and teach others what they themselves have learned…that life is better, safer, more complete in the area of running…with this shoe, because the shoe was made for a purpose.

I bought running shoes. I didn’t understand the design of the shoe. I just knew when I tried them on they felt more comfortable than the shoes I was wearing. I became a convert to that shoe. My running shoes will never live up to their potential because I am not interested in going beyond their comfort benefit to me in order to “live up” to what they were created to be. The value of the running shoe will never be something I tell others. I will not become a shoe disciple. It is not something I think about. I just know it’s made my life better and I’m content with that. I’m willing to let everyone else fend for themselves when it comes to understanding running shoes.

When it comes to my Christianity, I pray it’s not the same story. May I never be content to let others fend for themselves when it comes to the knowledge of Jesus while I walk around comfortable and content with what I have. The value of what I have in Him is too great to selfishly hoard it to myself by keeping silent.