There is a stereotype out there, particularly among non-Christian men, but even among men in the church. That thought is that Jesus was a weakling, a powerless wimp. He had no strength. “Gentle Jesus meek and mild,” “Little baby Jesus,” “Got himself killed before his ministry took off.”
Somehow, being a Christian, especially a Christian man, makes a man weak, a wimp. Meekness is confused with weakness. Meekness is strength and power restrained and under control.
Humility is confused with a lack of self-worth. Some say that putting the needs of others first is not what a “real man” would do. You must look out for number one! Yet, putting others first is exactly what the only perfect man who ever lived did,
Jesus confronted the established religious authorities on their errors. He overturned the tables of the sellers and money changers in the temple and drove them out with a whip. He willingly allowed himself to be falsely convicted, abused, mocked, ridiculed, and killed for the sake of others.
He still had time to demonstrate the love of God to a hostile world and to both teach and live in humility. He chose to be born in a hick town in the middle of nowhere and live, minister, and die in a backwater country in a corner of the empire.
Making our salvation possible was not the work of a wimp. We see such strength in some of his followers. Paul gave up a life as a well-regarded teacher brought up under the finest of rabbis, for a life of service to the true king. It was no easy road.
Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 2 Corinthians 11-23-28
He went to his death for Christ. The history of the church is filled with people who gave everything for Jesus. Even the ordinary person in the pew pays some price for following Jesus.
Wimps? Hardly. As cold as we might be? No. But we are all works in progress.
Our strength is in Christ. There is no greater cause.
Being a follower of Jesus is not for the faint of heart, but there is nothing that tops it. Nothing that comes close.
Look at the truth and examine your heart. It isn’t strength that keeps you away, it’s foolish pride. Take the step of humility and accept Christ today.
Be blessed
Kevin
