RIGHT OF CENTER: CARPENTER'S SON WAS A LABORER AND CERTAINLY NO WIMP, SO WHY ARE WE?

"Take then, your paltry Christ,

Your gentleman God.

We want the carpenter's son,

With his saw and hod."

-- Francis Adams, Irish-American writer, 1862-1893.

I've always been uncomfortable with the image of Christ historically depicted by Christian tradition.

I enjoy the image evoked by the manger birth watched over by lowly shepherds and exalted wise men. I can imagine Joseph, ashamed at having the Messiah born in such mean surroundings, cradling the babe in his arms while watching with awe the worshipers who continued to make their way into the cave. I also relish reading of young Jesus' parents frantically searching for the lost boy only to find him in the temple questioning the teachers there.

So why is it the dominant image of Christ portrayed in paintings and media accounts of his life always seem to show a pale, quiet, unimposing holy man of God, who gently and humbly served the downtrodden of his day. This, I believe, is accurate to a point. A holy, humble servant, yes, but Christ also was a rugged individual who constantly invoked the wrath of religious, social and political leaders of the day.

My father has worked with tools his entire life, and my brother is a concrete construction contractor. One of the first things you notice when meeting them is their thick, scarred hands and bulging forearms. It isn't likely a carpenter like Jesus, who roamed the wilderness with a band of fisherman and other ruffians preaching God's good news, was the slender, milky-skinned and silky-haired person we conjure up when thinking of him.

More likely, his dark skin was leathered by the sun, his hands and feet were calloused and scarred, his hair unkempt and clothing modest.

As the holy son of God, Jesus lived a perfect life. As a man, he was subject to the same temptations, frustrations and disappointments common to mankind. We know He was without sin, the perfect lamb sacrificed to propitiate God's judgment toward a fallen creation. We know what he did. But what was he like?

I am most impressed that he was without fear. He went wherever invited, never worried about his safety or reputation. These visits -- associating with pious Jewish leaders one day and riffraff tax collectors and Samaritans the next -- often got him into trouble. My pastor recently remarked how we would react today to a situation similar to Jesus' visit to the Jewish teacher's home. The visit was interrupted by a harlot who fell at Jesus' feet, washing them with her tears, wiping away the moistened dirt with her hair and pouring her expensive perfume on him.

My pastor posed this question: How would we react if a nationally known evangelists' visit to the home of a local church elder was interrupted by a prostitute who began massaging the evangelist's neck and shoulders while spraying her cologne in his hair? We would be appalled, as were the religious leaders in the Jewish teacher's home 2,000 years ago.

But what was the Lord's response? He rebuked the men of God for ignoring even a modicum of greeting when he arrived, while he blessed the prostitute and forgave her sins.

Christians tell one another to "turn the other cheek" when wronged, as our Lord taught. But too many of us have taken this to mean we should be pacifistic wimps unwilling to stand against harassment and injustice.

But Jesus was quick to defend the defenseless -- standing bravely against the mob and shouting, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." He never whined about the ingratitude of the masses, who worshiped him one day and condemned him to death the next. Instead, he spoke the truth boldly and without compromise.

I can't help but think that if we Christians -- followers of Christ -- today truly tried to exemplify his life and ministry, non-Christians would view our faith differently. Instead of living as the Jewish teachers of Jesus' day, with a "form of righteousness," we ought to be followers of Christ who happen to be doctors, lawyers, teachers, newspapermen and carpenters -- just common, everyday folks who are the recipients of uncommon grace.

In other words, we ought to be an unpretentious, normal and honest people. After all, grace -- unmerited favor -- is something that attracts rather than repels others. Surely this is what our Lord wants from his church.

~Jay Eastlick is the news editor of the Southeast Missourian.