Alright, alright, I know what you're all thinking.. either that this is some cheesy attempt at Christian-ese and the Bible isn't really literature (it is, by the way..only..it's completely true). OR you're curious as to what I come up with.
I'm hoping the latter, but if not, let me assure you that this isn't just because people think if you're a Christian you're obligated to talk about Jesus, but because honestly the real Jesus - the one portrayed in the Bible - IS one of my heroes.
See, the thing about Jesus is that the media, literature, and even Christianity portrays him as sweet, skinny meek, mild, and always on the verge of tears. Now, don't get me wrong, He knew when and how to be gentle and tender.
But. He wasn't always.
He was also wild and untamed and furious and strong and majestic and powerful and He never shied away from scathing confrontation.
I mean, think about it.
Who walks - on water - in the middle of a storm!? Most people I know are terrified to even stand out on their front porch in a storm, let alone walk out onto the middle of a stormy lake - at night, no less!
Who chases moneychangers out of the temple with a whip! A whip! This wasn't just a nice speech asking them to please take their wares elsewhere. This was a whip and overturning tables and literally chasing them out.
Who looks at the most powerful religious leaders of the day and calls them hypocrites, whitewashed tombs of dead man's bodies? Not a coward, that's for sure.
And if you think about it further...
Joseph was a carpenter. Jesus grew up in a carpenters shop, and spent the first thirty - three years of his life working alongside his father.
So, forgive me if I find the idea of a weak pushover skinny Jesus somewhat laughable.
His hands would have been large, rough, and scarred, not soft and white.
His skin would have been tanned from hours working in the sun, and he sure as heck wouldn't be wearing pink lipstick! (*cough* Son of God *cough*)
The real Jesus...the true Jesus...He wasn't weak, measly, or effeminate.
He was strong and tender, kind and courageous, powerful and pointed and scathing and yet knew when to be soft. He loved children, loved the world His Father created, and loved humanity, and I cannot picture Him refusing to get His hands dirty in order to preserve His 'image.
The real Jesus...was the epitome of masculinity, and to close with a quote from Ezra Pound,
"No capon priest was the Goodly Fere / but a man o' men was He!"
No comments:
Post a Comment