Thursday, January 14, 2010

What does Jesus look like?

I don't mean back in the first century. Although even though from the Scriptures we know that he walked the earth as a man, we don't have a picture of what he looked like.
Most of the pictures I have seen depict him as a white male with long brown hair and blue eyes. He was probably not white, did not have very long hair, and didn't have blue eyes. In the part of the world he lived in, people did not look like that.
What he looked like was really not important. Who he was and how he treated people was what has stayed with us for over two thousand years. Being that he is God, he can look anyway he wants to. We cannot limit Jesus to a specific image.
In today's world he could be black man, an Indian, an Anglo, or (should I say it) he could look like a woman. If Jesus is truly in all of us, he can very easily look like one of us. Jesus is in all of the people we encounter on a daily basis, both male and female, and in every color of this beautiful world we live in. That is why we can say that the "Kingdom of God is at hand". We are Jesus, we are the kingdom. We just haven't figured that out yet.
There are many things that happen to us as we live in the world. These things may color our perception of who we are and how we relate to other people and the world. Sometimes these things are not good and we lose sight of our significance, our talents, our need for one another and we forget that Jesus is right there with us and in us. We may not see Jesus with us, but he is there. He is in that person who offers us a kind word when we are down. He is in the person who puts their arm around us and comforts us when we need it. He is in all of the people we share both good times and bad times with. He is in us, as we are there to love others.
So, what does Jesus look like? Does it really matter? I think it matters more what he does within us. Looks are temporary, we all change. Just look at your baby pictures as compared to how you look now. What doesn't change is that we are Jesus to one another. That may seem like a big responsibility, but it really is what we are called to do and to be.
So, what does Jesus look like? He looks like you and me.

Peace and love to you all,

Sue

"Be still and know that I am God"(Psalm 46:10)

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