Whoever sees me…

Whoever sees me sees the one who sent me

You have probably heard someone say, “There is more to that person than meets the eye.”  Perhaps you assume someone at the hospital is a medical student but discover that she is a top notch surgeon.  Or perhaps someone in a meeting listens quietly until everyone else has spoken, and then proposes a solution that answers everyone’s concerns.  Some pople just go beyond our initial expectations!

Jesus surprise

The Gospels are full of examples of people whose expectations were turned down by Jesus.  He always seemed to surprise them.

They came to him as a teacher, but rather than giving a theological exposition, he offered parables.  These everyday examples allow each person to find himself in the stories.

They came to him weighed down by sin, but his words of forgiveness were not just empty  platitudes.  They carried the power to heal both spiritual and physical sickness.

They came to him with a simple request or need and were surprised by how his response drew them closer to his side.  Instead of just getting an answer to their prayer, they began to love Jesus and sought to put aside their former way of life to follow him.

Getting to know Jesus

When someone stayed with Jesus long enough and got to know him better, they saw beyond his unassuming appearance.  They saw someone more than a teacher or a healer or a prophet.  They began to see God alive in Jesus in a unique way.  His words of teaching, healing, and mercy bore God’s own inspiration and went straight to their hearts.  When they saw Jesus, they saw the Father.

Jesus is ready today to surprise you and reveal the Father to you.  Just invite him to exceed your expectations.  Ask him to show you something new.  It does not have to be momentous.  Usually it is just a small insight or application you have not seen before.  Or maybe one verse will strike you in a new way.  If you stick with this day and day, you will discover over time that God has revealed far more than you expected.  And that revelation will fill you with joy!

word among us