Do you identify?

Have you ever thought about the Jesus who identifies with us? Probably our understanding of him as the Son of God and our Saviour prevent us from considering the full implications of a verse like Hebrews 4:15;

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."

Yet a discussion on shame in class the other day got me thinking about the Jesus who not only sympathizes with us, but the Jesus who identifies with us. In regards to shame, Jesus was born into shame, ministered to those in shame and died in shame. This is much more than sympathizing. This is identifying himself with the shamed, the outcast, the lonely and the hurting. And what's even more amazing is how Jesus does this with his life, his words and even his touch.The details of Christ’s life constantly point to a Saviour that feels, experiences and knows the most painful aspects of life, while at the same time providing power and hope. It’s incredible to think that we have a Saviour who truly moves toward us in real and intimate ways.

"Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed him."

In considering this verse in Matthew 20, I've been really struck by the concept of touch, that Jesus reaches out physically, identifying himself with what has been shamed, and then giving power and life. We have a Saviour willing to touch us where we are most vulnerable, most hurting, and most afraid. We have a Saviour who doesn't stand far off or removed. We have Saviour willing to be made unlcean by our sin so that he can make us whole and give real, abundant life. How incredibly personal and intimate!

I can’t help but think that we should again be encouraged to identify with those around us, moving alongside those who are hurting, reaching out and then offering that renewing and cleansing power of Christ. The challenge is to do that in a real way like Christ, not standing far off, unwilling to get our hands dirty, but engaging in authentic compassion and love.We are encouraged to identify with the lost, unclean, and outcast because we have a Saviour who willingly did so, bringing salvation and strength, hope and honour and glorifying the Father in that very act of touching the unclean and restoring it to wholeness.

We bring glory to God when we are moved with compassion to identify ourselves with the broken, outcast, and hurting.

in the presence of a fortress

"When a heart is being filled with the greatness of God, there is less room for the question, 'What are people going to think of me?'" - Welch

I wonder if you've ever had the experience where someone points out a character flaw that you're either not aware of, or thought you had taken care of or were at least hiding? One was recently quite painfully pointed out to me but I suppose it is one that we all suffer with it in someway or another, so it will be no surprise to hear me mention it, but we are talking about lack of confidence or insecurity. Now I think we all know that we all struggle a bit with this, but most of us have found ways around it or at least not putting it front and centre. Therefore it is a bit disconcerting when someone discovers it in us and then points it out to us. Heaven forbid I appear less than perfect and totally confident at all times :) but seriously it is good to take a closer look to make sure the enemy isn't getting in and telling us lies.

In this particular circumstance, a growing lack of trust probably triggered it. However, if we just put it down to trust it would be to easy to blame them, which conveniently lets me off. So while exploring this concept of trust, an image kept coming to mind of me standing naked and exposed in the presence of a large grey fortress. And I wonder if all of us feel that way in at least one of our relationships right now? Maybe it's that friend we've been close to forever but now feels like no one is home, or the teenager who just won't let you in, or someone new that you'd just like to get to know better? If we are honest, there is always some one in our life with which we want greater trust, great intimacy, and greater love.

I think for most of us, we go about our lives, either in the village, the city or whatever and in the course of life we come across a fortress. We know, either from what we've heard or the large windows, that we'd like entrance. Fundamentally, we know fortresses are good, places of security, safety, warmth and hospitality, so it is quite logical to want in, either because we are passing through or looking for a permanent home. So like any person we present ourselves, confident that we will gain entrance because we have no reason to believe otherwise. Yet we begin to have trouble getting in, so we present ourselves again, making known who we are, exposing ourselves and again confident that who we are is enough.

Unfortunately, this is where it can get a bit tricky, especially as the fortress holds firm. We forget that we were just passing by, that there are other places, villages, and cities that would welcome us in. We forget that while the fortress offers the comfort and security of a better relationship that there are other places and that there is a mighty and loving God ruling over all. And this is where it starts to go wrong. Maybe we use flattery to woo that friend back, or maybe its gifts to get that teenager to open up or maybe we write them off because we are tired of trying, meanwhile the fortress grows larger and larger and we become smaller and smaller. Our world becomes consumed with gaining entrance, seeking their approval, having that right relationship, and eventually all else can be lost, while the fortress looms over us, hiding us from the view of brilliant sun, rolling fields, signposts for other places and our loving Father.

Now I know I've painted quite a picture but this is just one aspect to our understanding of the fear of man. My professor Ed Welch has written a book on this called 'When People are Big and God is Small' and it deals with this very issue of making people big while losing our eternal perspective. So yes, there may have been a lack of trust in this particular situation but a godly response from me would have been greater trust in God while continually placing this fortress in a eternal perspective.

Fortresses are still worth gaining entrance but like all things we must be careful not to inflate them, instead we must seek to elevate Christ.