How Did Jesus Do It?

Jesus,

I want to know the 'meaty you'.

How did you connect with such a wide variety of people? And still do?

What are you like? How did it feel to be near you physically?

I  picture you, holy, as a young man, working with your earthly dad.  Doing hard, sweaty, dirty work. That allowed you to use your creativity, with human limitations. And also used your bone and muscle, the bone and muscle you created.

I imagine that Joseph worked for all kinds of people.  Did you ever feel like not filling an order cause of the sin you knew about in their life?  Did you ever say to your dad, "we can't work for this person cause of how they live"? Cause then you wouldn't be able to do any carpentry for any body, ever.  Sin is sin.  Obvious or secret.  Ongoing sin or one-time sin.

Did you speak out every time you encountered sin in someones life?  I doubt it. I don't know how you did it. How did you put up with our ugly and not become ugly yourself?  People were drawn to you because of your love, your deep in your soul love.

And how did you handle people's criticism when you knew you were speaking the truth?  As a young man. Before your ministry. Before you revealed all that you are.  I can't figure it out.

Such as, religious people who stood up for their convictions, refusing to associate themselves with 'sinners'.  Refusing to make cake for sinners.  And then crying foul when other groups do the same thing to them.  They might say we need to stand up for our own freedom to serve who we want to serve. Cause other groups discriminate against us, so we should be able to discriminate against them.  What a mess.

Neither of those sides is your side. I don't think you would take sides in so many situations. The eyes of your heart would see through all the rubbish on both sides. And extend grace. And would say the words that needed to be said. And would do the thing that needed to be done.  And Forgive.

Cause both sides and all the sides in between, are hurting, having been deeply hurt. And are speaking out of their own pain.  Deep wounds from years of not getting each other.  Not connecting with each other.  You are the only thing that can bridge the gap.  But we need to cross the bridge of forgiveness, and grace that you supply.

And you get into the mess, the meaty you. And you stay.

I don't get you, but I sure want to be near you.

Me.