So I’ve been tagged by Mark Smith to talk about the Five Things I Dig About Jesus. Below are the five things that I *currently* dig about Jesus, although these may change as I continue to grow and my beliefs continue to be formed by friends, experience, scripture and other sources.
- Jesus cared for the marginalized, the estranged, the outcasts and the sinners. While that doesn’t mean that Jesus did not care for those who were wealthy and had power, it does mean that we consistently see Jesus caring for and in the presence of those who many in Christendom today attempt to keep out of the church.
- As a patient reminded me today, Jesus did not complicate things. He made it very simple: Love God and love your neighbor. If you do that, you’re fulfilling the law.
- He’s constantly engaging in the act of subversion, of challenging the status quos and norms.
- Jesus didn’t speak in propositions, for the most part. He told stories – stories that often didn’t make sense, and caused one to perpetually be engaged in paradigm shifts.
- Jesus modeled a life that was constantly seeking after the will and kingdom of God – if we only were able to follow in his example in the most minuscule ways, think of what could happen…
Since apparently you’re supposed to tag people to keep it going, I tag Todd Hiestand, Jake Myers, Mark Shivers, Jan Edmiston and Sarah Walker Cleaveland.
Well said Adam. I don’t often say this, but I agree with you. Succinct and well put. I especially like what you said about his telling of stories and how that affects our paradigm shifts.
Dang… I wish that I had been tagged. I guess I’ll wait and see if it ever gets around to me! I think blogging a meme without having been tagged is the blogosphere equivalent of inviting yourself to a party… :)
Thanks!
Jake – consider yourself tagged.
Jesus didn’t speak in propositions, for the most part.
Doesn’t the Sermon on the Mount contains propositions, for the most part?
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205-7&version=31
wow! I’m clueless about the “being tagged” conversation – but the thoughts about Jesus are great. Can I put a link to this post on my blog?
(is that tagging or getting tagged?)
hopefully my ignorance get’s some laughs and puts me in the first Jesus category of “marginalised” – so that you have to be nice to me because Jesus would!