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).
