And the answer is … Jesus

Now what’s the question?

“Jesus is the answer for the World today, above Him there’s no other, Jesus is the Way.”

Having grown up as an Evangelical Christian I’ve sung the above chorus a thousand times, and I know that its true. But its cheesy.

And therein is my problem. Familiarity breeds contempt. Having grown up inundated with Jesus and the fruits of his spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, meekness, self-control) I’ve become a spoilt glutton.

As I became a young man I “knew” that Jesus was the answer but the answer was so obvious that I had to find more creative answers. I had to add my own spice or take on the truths that emanated from His words.

Now that river of life has led me 15 years into the future I’m returning to the simple truth. Jesus is the answer.

I try to add my spice. My take. I try to repackage the truth in ways that people can understand and digest. I could do all of this but the simple fact of the matter is that I’m highly unoriginal. And I’m cool with that.

I have nothing new to offer this world. If I do my job right the world will hardly recognize my handiwork.

To use a film metaphor. If all the below the line crew (grips, gaffers, editors, mixers and camera people) do their job right, you’ll never even realize they exist until you see the credits. A boom in the shot is not a good thing – no matter how creative or funny it is.

I’m a big copycat. I have nothing new to say. Everything I say, write and exercise in my life was Someone else’s idea.

I think many of the world’s problems occur when we depart from the tried and true and want to be our own boss. Be our own god. Be wise in our own eyes.

One of favorite poems is Rudyard Kipling’s “God of the Copybook Headings.”

A century ago school children would practice their hand writing by copying simple and trite headings (many of them from the Bible). Cheesy stuff if you will. Boring. Repetitive. So man abandoned the tried and true and sought his own path. With the promised consequences.

So I’m boring. I’m cheesy. I’m repetitive. I’ll never be an original thinker like Marx, Darwin, Nietzsche or Sarte. Nor will what I write ever lead men and nations to the “unique” destinations that these original men trail blazed. Shucks!!!

When it comes down to it I believe that Jesus IS the answer.

I do find it funny (not ha ha funny, more sad funny) that so many Christians want the world to go through Hell so that God’s Kingdom can come. I think there is enough hell already. I’m ready for the kingdom now. When will it happen? It will happen when…

When people love their neighbor as themselves.
When we show greater love for others by laying our own life down.
When we forgive as we are forgiven.
When we do good whenever we are able.
When we prefer others above ourselves.
When we love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength.
When we confess our sins, turn from them and seek to live lives that honor Jesus.
When we love our wives as Christ loved the Church and gave His life for it.
When we turn the other cheek.
When we walk the extra mile.
When we reach out of our own hurt to heal others.
When we are nailed to our cross and yet we forgive.
When we give control of our lives to Jesus and accept his forgiveness.

Simple. Cheesy. But there isn’t a problem in the world that wouldn’t disappear if all the people that call Jesus Lord started doing what He said and did.

But maybe that’s just too simple. Fine, come up with your own answer.

FYI: You’ll be wrong.