Let’s Stop Trying To Be Like Jesus

In the book of John we’re told that John the Baptist pointed people to Jesus.  In chapter 1:35, for instance, he says, “Look!  Here the lamb of God!”  and with that, 2 of John’s own disciples left his side and followed Jesus instead.

I love this.

Sometimes we get so focused on trying to BE Jesus to the world around us (which is important, no doubt) that we can easily develop our own Messiah complex.

Right?

Because if I’m the hands and feet of Jesus then the world is hinging on the good that Christ will do in ME and through ME and so I have to ...

Keep going.

Keep working.

Keep pushing.

Keep reaching out to people.

Keep helping.

Keep saying yes, yes, yes, yes.

Why?  I’m the hands and feet of Jesus and so people need ME to come through, people are relying on ME to be a good representative of Christ.

I struggle with this sometimes, to be honest.

When I look at the What If Project I realize that it’s the hands and feet of Christ in a world where lots of people are hurting and have been hurt by the church, the very vessel that Christ left to draw people to himself ... 

It’s become a machine that has wounded people.

A machine that has caused pain.

A machine that has fed on people’s fear.

A machine that has created distance between many people and the God to which it represents.

... And so sometimes I get so focused on what we’re doing here and the importance of our work that it’s very easy for me to keep going, keep working, keep pushing - week after week, day after day ... with little to no breather.  

Does this resonate with you?

Have you ever gotten SO caught up in your work and SO focused on the good that you’re doing that you forgot that you and your work aren’t the Savior, but that you merely point to the Savior?

And so what if we took the approach, instead, to be more like John the Baptist?

For me, what if I realized that this podcast isn’t so much the hands and feet of Christ as much as it is the voice of John?  What if I saw the What If Project as one who is crying out in the wilderness and shouting, “LOOK!  The lamb of God!”

Sure, it’s important to keep going.

Sure, it’s important to press on.

Sure, it’s important to work hard.

None of that changes.  What changes, though, is the pressure I can so easily put on myself to feel responsible to be the Savior or the Messiah that brings change, shines a light, and gains a following.

John gained a following, sure, but then he pointed to Jesus and the following left his side and went where they were always meant to be in the first place.

Maybe there’s something to that.

Peace.