Spiritual Perspective Stewardship Paradigm Becoming More Christ Like

Becoming More Christ Like

Often, in our desire and resolution to be better parents, we say, "I'm going to go right home and change my kids." What we should be most concerned about, of course, is changing ourselves. We are the parents, and if we want to be better parents, it is all about making ourselves better.

With the recent publicity and interest in Mel Gibson's movie, "The Passion of Christ," many of us have been reminded not only of what Jesus suffered for us in death but of the example He set for us in life. Clearly, if we could be more like Him, we would be better examples for our children and would become wiser and deeper in our insights regarding their needs and their happiness.

There is a place in the New Testament where one of Christ's apostles, having just witnessed a miracle, asks the rhetorical question, "What manner of man is this?" Indeed, a good question for each of us to ask is, "What manner of man is Christ, and how can I be more like Him?" Each month at this location on the web site, we will explore a couple of aspects of the character of Jesus -- a couple of facets of what manner of man He was. For those who would rather have the insights in book form, a volume called What Manner of Man is available by requesting it via the "contact us" button.

The Happiness of Christ.

Storm Jameson, a poet-philosopher, wrote prospectively of happiness.

It is an illusion to think that more comfort brings more happiness. True happiness comes of the capacity to think freely, to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to risk life, to be needed.

Think for a moment, in this framework, of Jesus Christ:

- whose thought still frees men's minds
- who felt (in both directions) more deeply than any other
- who relished and loved all that was simple and pure
- who actually gave his life
- who is needed by every member of the human race.

Edwin Markham wrote of happiness in a slightly lighter vein:

Happiness is a thing of here and now;
The bright leaf in the hand, the moment's sun,
The fight accomplished or the summit won.

Joy, in the gospel sense, is more than happiness or pleasure, but it is certainly inclusive of both. The Gospels present a Savior who responded to people, who appreciated men's good humor, who found simple pleasure in everyday life. The scriptures do not tell us of the expression on his face or describe the tone in his voice, but when we consider Christ's supreme inner peace we begin to imagine the happy characteristics he must have exemplified.

The Lord's life often seems to suggest a beautiful and light touch -- a good-humored approach to life -- like a fresh breeze on the sparkling surface of a deep and mighty sea. Do we detect any humor as such? Certainly there would not be humor in the sarcastic, cynical sense -- and never out of derision, where one man's laughter is another man's misfortune or ridicule -- but perhaps humor in the lighter, truer sense: the sense of seeing life's little ironies, of appreciating amusing things, of smiling at surprises.

The sparkle of the Savior's outlook comes through in his dramatized object lessons: a mote in one man's eye, a beam in that of his critic (see Matthew 7:3); a man who was forgiven a huge debt but who would not himself forgive a small one (see Matthew 18:23-35). His understanding of human nature shows as he tells of the man in bed late at night who is too sleepy to answer his neighbor's knock (see Luke 11:5-8), or of one blind man leading another into the ditch (see Luke 6:39).

Much of Jesus' life was sociable and people-oriented. To him it was appropriate and natural to be at a wedding (see John 2:1-10); dining out by invitation (see Luke 7:36); or simply relaxing in the house of friends (see John 12:1). And how right it is that life's perfect example should exemplify joy -- and should take joy in the very things he had created in order that man "might have joy."

The Lord taught that the sacrifices required by the gospel are a joy to make, likening them in parables to the man who in his joy sold all that he had to buy a precious pearl (see Matthew 13:45-46). All of the rewards the Lord promised to those who followed his gospel were related to this principle.

He promised:
- happiness (see John 13:17)
- joy (see John 16:22; Luke 24:52)
- peace (see John 16:33)
- more abundant life (see John 10:10)
- freedom (see John 8:31-32).

The Savior followed his gospel as perfectly as he taught it: and thus each of these rewards was his to receive as well as to give.

Christ's Optimism and Positive Attitude

In the Savior's teachings, the wheat prevailed against the tares, the tiny mustard seed grew, the yeast swelled the whole loaf, and optimism abounded (Matthew 13:24-33).

The Savior never doubted his purpose. The possibility of failure never crossed his mind, despite odds that, to mortal eyes, seemed overwhelming.

In the Savior's gospel, all things are stated in the positive: what to do instead of what not to do, with the overriding positive promise that the sure way of avoiding evil is to be doing good. The gospel is the most positive philosophy of all time, and its author was (and is) the most positive being of all time.

His optimism never failed. In his parables we find that the good always wins; in his stories we find the epitome of "the happy ending;" in his life we find a sureness of purpose and an assurance of ultimate success (even at moments so dark that his chosen twelve had fled his side).

Who but this world's most positive and optimistic being could love nature as he did? Who but the world's most positive person would love children as he did? (Mark 10:16) Who but this kind of an optimist would want his disciples (even as he awaited his crucifixion) to have joy (John 15:11), and who would teach them so well that those disciples never forgot? Even after his death, his disciples took food with gladness (Acts 2:46); rejoiced when they suffered shame for his name (Acts 5:41); sang and rejoiced in the jails of Rome (Philippians 4:4, Acts 16:25); and taught the fruits of the spirit were love, joy, and peace (Galatians 5:22). When Paul dreamed of the departed Master, he dreamed of Him saying to the disciples, "Be of good cheer" (Acts 23:11).

He was the Bridegroom, the bringer of joy, the one who told us to rejoice in the day of persecution for his sake, to leap for joy (Luke 6:23); to look happy even when we are fasting (Matthew 6:16-18); and to be exceedingly glad (Matthew 5:12; also see Job 38:7; Psalms 30:5; Isaiah 35:10; Matthew 13:20; 2 Corinthians 2:3; Hebrews 12:2; and 1 Peter 1:8).