We would See Jesus

As this column reaches readers, it is the start of the church's season of Advent and less than a month until Christmas.

Of course, no photograph was taken of Jesus during his lifetime because the technology didn't exist.

As far as we know, no one even attempted a sketch of him -- and if one was made, it's lost to history.

There is a picture -- a colored drawing, really -- that comes to mind of a post-resurrection Jesus smiling and laughing.

Due to copyright reasons, it can't be reproduced in this newspaper, but if you're so inclined, you may view it at joyfulnoiseletter.com/store.asp.

The pictorial representation you'll see there most accurately describes how the historical Jesus fills my mind.

There is nothing in the pages of the New Testament to suggest Jesus laughed or even smiled.

I don't care.

Jesus had to have smiled, laughed, guffawed and groaned at bad jokes.

I'll bet he cried a lot, too. In fact, John 11:35 said he did -- at least once.

Without a demonstrative Jesus, there is no possibility that 12 men would have left their livelihoods and families to wander around with a joyless itinerant preacher for 3.5 years.

Boy, I would have liked to have spent five minutes with him in the sands of Judea.

Perceptions

My mind wanders to hymnody often and on the day these words are penned -- or more accurately, word processed -- the song which comes to mind is "We Would See Jesus."

Here's the truth of it.

Put two preachers in a cubicle and invite them to talk about how they see Jesus -- meaning what do they think of what he did, the way he did it, what he said and most importantly, how he should be remembered and honored today.

It's a guarantee those two pulpiteers will not agree.

I was ordained 30 years ago and haven't found anybody yet who is completely in accord with how this writer sees Jesus.

It's an impossible task to find unanimity because, in all candor, my view of Jesus of Nazareth changes.

For me, my perception of Jesus is a moving target because he is difficult to put into a box.

He's too dynamic to fit my narrow mind and limited understanding.

At this fixed point in time, though, here's what I think about the central figure of the Christian faith as the commemoration of Jesus' birthday comes around again.

One view

• Jesus is the one in high school who spends time with the teenager nobody else seems to notice.
• Jesus is the one who gently, but unmistakably, stands up to a bully.
• Jesus is the one who is willing to lead but without coercion or manipulation of any kind.
• Jesus is the one who can spot phonies and hypocrites at a glance.
• Jesus is the one willing to endure punishment if it means you'll get off the hook.
• Jesus is the one who always chooses compassion, even for lawbreakers -- a trait he showed with the woman accused of adultery.

To quote a pastor acquaintance of mine in western New York state, Jesus is the one "willing to be drawn into a hurting person's world, teaching nonviolence and peacemaking, who transforms the world's cruelty into something resembling decency toward all."

Isaiah is right: a little child shall lead them.

This is the Jesus who is my north star this Christmas -- the baby who became a man and whose life and work changed the world irrevocably as the man for others, indeed for the whole world.

How do you see Him?