...Jesus...

So I was thinking the other day while in the midst of everything going on in my life...

As much as I hate it when people say "I love Jesus" and "Jesus is my hero" and sincerely mean it, these statements are true for me also. I don't like publicizing it just because there is this stigma placed with being a "Jesus-freak." However, it doesn't make sense. Most of these people who "love Jesus" are the extreme Christians with extreme values. (Ok, so maybe values is the wrong word... hopefully you still know what I mean. I'm tired, so bloodflow to my brain is a little slow this morning.) It is amazing how ignorant I have been to this. Jesus really is one of the most influential people for my life. The terms that come with my wanting to go to seminary and being a Social Justice minor lead me to believe I need to live my life like Jesus.

For a lot of people who "LOVE JESUS" this means that they are thankful for Christ dying on the cross to save us of our sins and grant us with grace for our lives beyond belief. While I'm thankful for this, this is not the first thing I think of when Jesus comes to mind. For me, it is his influential actions over his disciples and followers and how incredibly inviting and loving he was to everyone he met, came in contact, or with whom he ate dinner.

(On a sidenote: May I just say how much I love that food was an integral part of Jesus' ministry? I mean, really. All the bread and fish, bread and wine, more wine, dinner here and dinner there. It's all over in the gospels. What does this mean for us? Eat all the time? Not quite. This shows us that fellowship is one of the most important things in our ministry and faith. It just is. Take it and run with it... It's an AWESOME concept.)

So, if we are loving Jesus and taking his ideologies and being just like him, what should life look like? For us, it should be compassionate and helpful, loving and kindness. Inclusiveness, acceptance, and joy also come to mind.

But more importantly, what would life look like for others? Hopeful. Satisfying. Complete. Reassuring. Full of Love. Uplifting.

It is not my world I wish to make better, but it is the world of others. The world of those who are in unfortunate circumstances, downtrodden, destitute, lonely, hopeless, and looked down upon. Those who no one want to touch, make eye contact with or get close to.

This is what I want to help do with my life.

It pains me when I hear comments made against those who can't help their circumstances, or their life for that matter. "They can get a job and pay for their bills. It isn't that hard." But it is. That's the thing. They can't get a job because they might have been in jail who knows how long ago. They can't make money because they can't look their best on interview day. They don't have the car or the money to get to work or take the bus. It's a vicious cycle in the business world. And I hate it.

What can we do to make this world a better place? To give hope to the hopeless?

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind; Love your neighbors as yourself; do unto others as you would like for them to do unto you; Love your Enemies; Pray for those who persecute you."

It's all there. These are some of the most important passages of the Bible and some of the most quoted.

Yet, some of the least followed.

Change that.

Change the world.