I don't need Jesus to be black or white...

In the last week, race related riots have brought together the 50 states like never before; and simultaneously caused a poignant protests in the form of a social media feed black out with every upward finger swipe. In the midst of this, it grieves me to see certain exchanges between "professed Believers".


Posts that somehow use the alleged historically & researched based color of Jesus' skin or even the Jewish ethnicity and economic humanity with which He Sovereignly chose to wrap His Deity; as a means to stand on either side of these race related riots.


I don't know about you, but I don't need Jesus to be a Euro-looking figure with a circular halo, looking up with a radiant beam reflecting off of his forehead.


I also don't even need a silky-dark headed (or gray natural headed for that matter), full lipped Jesus that hangs in the hallways of Big Mama's house.







I certainly don't need the Jesus that our culture uses to defend our limited knowledge and skewed wisdom. 




I need the Jesus who "doesn't have an impressive form or kingly majesty that we should look at him, nor appearance that we should desire him" (Isaiah 53:2). Why? Because when every person, every institute, every thing I proudly look towards or vainly place hope in (to impress me) actually fails me (and they will), then I'm left only to look into the piercing and passionate eyes of One who desires me even when I didn't desire Him. He knew I would need to choose to follow someone everyone else didn't want to follow.

Yes, I need the Jesus who "was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering...like someone people turn away from...don't value..." (Isaiah 53:3). Why? Because when the sins I so inevitably will commit (even when my intentions are seemingly right) hurt the people that will lay in the wake of my failures and those around me, reject me (yes, the very ones who pledged sincere friendship); I'll need someone who has felt rejection to scoop me from the ashes of my tears and restore me by reminding me that nothing in my life is wasted and my value comes from Him. 

Is the color that so easily blinds, fading into the background as a more humble albeit somewhat hideous image forms? No? Well, stay with me...

I need the Jesus who "himself bore my sickness, carried my pain, received deep piercings for my rebellion, endured crushing blows for my short comings, was punished for my peace, and wounded for my healing" (Isaiah 53:4-5). 

Why? Because often times I proudly walked around under the guise of being "fine" when really, sickness (in the form of rebellion, pride and lust) like the vapes of carcinogens, toxicants and metals lie dormant in me, doomed to spread like a cancer and leave me collapsed. I'll need someone willing to carry the pain that comes from my guilt, someone to exchange the depression and addiction I'm so susceptible to, for peace and healing. 

It's funny how we claim to be "so strong" yet daily, death shows us just how weak we truly are.
He knew He would need to look so disfigured that I would see the love on His face for me some 2,000 years later and I'd realize that "death is MY weakness, NOT HIS" (Isaiah 53:11-12 MSG).

I need the Jesus who "didn't speak, never opened His mouth while being beaten and punished." I need the Jesus who was "treated unjustly, roughly, in an unfair manner though He did nothing wrong." (Isaiah 53: 8-9). 

Why? Because this Jesus will be able to look beyond the color of skin, clearly pierce through the shades of grey and rightly judge all who treat others in an unfair manner while avenging any and all who are unjustly treated. And I cannot play the victim; for in my humanity I have both done others wrong and been done wrong. 

So I need the Jesus that "God was pleased to severely crush", because THIS is the Jesus who will "justify many (namely me) and will carry their iniquities (which I stand in need of)" (Isaiah 53:11-12).

I need the grace & love to speak up and speak out against injustice, with the same mercy and grace that God gave me for my own injustices towards Him. We can only find that, in Jesus (the Christ).

What's your Pandemic Narrative?

I'm pretty sure COVID-19 wasn't on anyone's vision board for 2020.
And i'm quite certain that at some point in the last few years, COVID-19 was never on anyone's list of long or short term goals.

While this pandemic has caught so many of us off guard, I find solace in the truth that nothing catches God off guard. That from the beginning of the world, He's been overseeing time, looking into our future and making plans to draw people to Himself.

What might be helpful to also meditate on (besides God knowing a virus would interrupt our normal patterns as we know it), is that He's a Master in using chaos, trouble, turmoil and disruptions...to develop, create, adjust and transform our lives into exactly what He has planned for us.

So, here are some things to learn from this Pandemic:

1. Be careful of placing your hope in temporal things-
>Someone wise once told me that people who come into our lives should be held with an open palm. They can be with us for a reason, a season or a lifetime. In case they are with us for the first two (reason or season), it's imperative we don't allow ourselves to get too attached that we cannot let them go when their reason or season expires.

The same principle applies to the thinking that we can get up and go to the beach tomorrow. The bible says, we aren't certain of what tomorrow holds. So we should say, "if the Lord wills", meaning we can make our plans but don't too tightly to them because He has the power, and right to determine what tomorrow will be like. Should we become too attached to our plans, not leaving room for His plans, then we aren't prepared to adjust in a healthy manner.

2. Your job/career isn't what provides for/sustains you-
>Growing up, I heard this statement several times but I never really understood in experience what it meant. That is, not until I was placed in a few situations throughout my adult life where I was unable to provide for myself and experienced my needs being met in ways I couldn't control nor predict.

Several people have shared how their jobs have been lost, or their spouses' jobs lost. It's a daunting feeling to not know where your next paycheck will come from or to be at the end of your savings. But it's a freeing feeling to know that the Creator of all things, the Owner of 'the cattle on a thousand hills", the Maker of people, the One who promotes...that same God who creates, owns, and makes also meets your needs!

3. Life is fragile 
>Tell those you love, that you love them. Check on people. So many lives are lost in situations like this and while many are due to the pandemic, others might not be. But being isolated makes it more difficult to grieve loss. Having an understanding that like things, people can be here today and gone tomorrow causes us to be live and love with intention.

4. We are weak, susceptible beings
>It amazes me that we often give off this persona that we are strong, tough and nothing affects us. When in actuality something so microscopic (almost invisible) is able to bring us to our knees. It's a great visual of just how fragile we are as human beings. How much IN NEED we are. In need of God's strength (to live in a way that pleases Him); in need of God's forgiveness to understand how to give grace and forgiveness to others; in need of a Savior who loves us so deeply that He gave His life to make us at peace with God. This love that will help us love the most unloveable people in the most unlikely of situations.

It reminds me of Paul's words, "I boast in my weakness, because it is THEN that I am truly strong."
And finally, probably the most exciting thing we learn from all of this...

5. God delights in using troubles for testimonies 
>I might not be the popular for saying this but i'm foremost guilty of it.
On social media I see a lot of people stating how 2020 has ruined things.
Birthdays. Travel Plans. Just to name a few...
But the perspective is wrong if we feel that our 'temporal plans' are the only important thing here. Yes, with a limited range of sight, watching schools get cancelled, our favorite spa close down is a bit traumatic. But we (Believers) are seated in Heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6) and so our mind is supposed to be on things above.

Things like, what could God be wanting to do in our lives as a result of this Pandemic?
What might be the significance in social distancing, attending church services from home, being home with our kids and spouse for longer hours?
How might the Lord be using this quarantine, pandemic season for His glory...and for our good?
If we truly believe He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond all we could ever ask or think; is it possible that He plans to send answers to your prayers by way of this Pandemic?
Or are we wired to believe that blessings only come packaged in brown boxes and dropped off at our door step by a person in a navy blue truck with PRIME written across the sides?

Israel will tell you that their prayers were heard for a "deliverer", during years of captivity.
Ruth will tell you that provision was made for her due to the loss of her husband.
Joseph will tell you that he had the wisdom to oversee countries because of his time served in a well, and a prison (unjustly).
So what will YOUR story be? What will you tell your friends, kids and grand kids about what God did during or because of COVID? Change the narrative!