"Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.… "
- Isaiah 53:1-13
It's interesting to me how people react to the way we look.
I especially noticed the difference one Sunday morning, years ago, when a guest speaker asked me if I would help him with an experiment... hastily I said yes, and that is how I ended up at church on Sunday morning, barefoot, covered in dirt from head to toe, hair tangled and matted with corn syrup, jeans full of holes and shoe polish, a t-shirt ripped and filthy... and as our guest speaker stepped to the podium to preach, I walked down the center aisle, across the front rows of seats, and sat right in the middle, at the front.
I could feel the heat rising on my cheeks, and I felt every eye on me. Our guest kept speaking, but what started as looks, turned to whispering that rippled over the audience... who is that? Lord help us! who let her in? should we get an usher? is this ok?
To my left sat a man who knew me well, I kept trying to catch his eye - I just knew if he looked in my eyes, he would know me, and that knowing would calm my nerves and I could relax a little bit and muddle through this queazy exercise... but his face remained stonily concentrated toward the speaker, not about to look my way. To my right sat a mother and her little girl, about 4 or 5 years old. As I turned ever so slightly and peered hesitantly up through a matted tangle of hair, my eyes met the wide eyed, shamelessly open stare of that little one. Recognition flashed across her face and I was immediately rewarded by a knowing, tooth-missing smile, and just like that, my nerves disappeared - I was known. She and I exchanged a giggle worthy moment, the only two in the room who knew what was going on... I winked at her, just as her mother pulled her closer and whispered harshly not to stare, and just like that, the spell was broken.
The speaker eventually revealed the trick he had played on the audience, pointing out that the homeless woman on the front row was indeed their church's music pastor, and hopefully the lesson of loving the unlovely was learned by all.
As I read the verses above from Isaiah this week, the details of that Sunday came flooding back to me, and I had to ask myself, is that what Jesus faced every day? If we take Scripture at face value, then yes, He did. The Bible tells us that Jesus had no where to lay His head, depending on the kindness of others for a place to sleep, probably spending many nights trying to get comfortable on the hard, cold ground He created; huddled against the wind and rain that He had originally set in motion at the beginning of time. Dirty, poor, from the wrong side of the tracks, hanging out with teenagers, prostitutes, migrants, money launderers and beggars... looking humanity in the eye, and quietly asking "Do you know me?"
I guess my question is the same - do you? Do you know Him? When Jesus was physically here on earth, many who professed to love God, to know God and His ways, completely missed that He was walking among them - in fact, many turned from Him because He was not what they expected or desired, He didn't look the part of a King - His message was too dirty, what He required was too costly... and still today, with all of our lovely arguments and philosophies and grown-up rationalizations, we have a hard time dealing with the real presence of Jesus, looking Him in the eye, and really knowing Him, because His message is still the same... Here's a few verses that speak about what Jesus requires of us who claim to know Him and love Him...
I John 2:6
Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
I Peter 2:21
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
Ephesians 5:1-2
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
John 13:13-17 - straight from the mouth of Jesus:
You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Jesus, the object of our love, the most precious, sweet, and freely-given Gift of God. Our Salvation from death. The Victor over and Defeater of our sin. The Soon Coming King and Creator of all Things... He became the lowest of us, to save us... and He asks us to become like Him. Are you willing to become like Jesus to save others? Are you willing to become like The Unlovely to save the unlovely? Your answer is important because you cannot have the King without looking on and loving the Pauper.
"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' " - Matthew 25:40
As Easter approaches, I encourage you... be like that child who stared openly and unashamed at me that day. Look wide-eyed into the face of the Man who died on the cross for us, The Unlovely One, smile at the nail scarred hands that have redeemed your life, the hands of Our King, and answer His call... Yes, Lord, we will be like You, we will do whatever it takes, we will love the unloved, we will proclaim Who You Are, that none should perish.
