The Moods of Jesus

Jesus was the man of sorrows. Jesus was the man of joy. Jesus wept. Jesus called the Pharisees "white washed tombs" and a "brood of vipers". Jesus was gentle. Jesus spoke softly. Jesus shouted. Jesus was abrasive.

Jesus was moody!

No? Do you think, "Get behind me, Satan!" is not abrasive? Go ahead. Next time someone disagrees with you say, "Get behind me, Satan!" and see how that works! When your kids are fighting, stomp into the room and scream, "YOU BROOD OF VIPERS!!!" As a matter of fact I think I hear that slithering sound right now....just kidding kids!

Jesus was one of those people that you wanted to stay on his good side or else you might end up like some fruitless fig tree. The lesson there? Don't tick Jesus off! He'll curse your lazy carcass and leave you for the vultures.

I was reading Luke 19 the other day and realized that Jesus displayed three different moods when interacting with three different groups of people. He was kind, patient and accepting with the little tax collector Zacchaeus. He wept over the city of Jerusalem at his "triumphal entry". Then he was angered and over threw the vendors out the temple. One chapter three different moods.

What I find very interesting about this passage however, is if I place myself in Jesus' shoes I probably would not display the same moods. I'd be angry at Zacchaeus, the little thief! I'd be on top of the world if a whole city were praising me, looking over my shoulder for when my boys would bring the barrell of gatorade. I am the MAN!!! I'd be patient with folks in the temple. I mean, yeah, they were not supposed to be making a profit in the temple but hey, if it's a good fundraiser who can argue.

Here is the real problem. We Christians are quick to judge, scold and reject a sinner like Zacchaeus. We're quick to over look the heart that is decaying when everything on the outside seems like a success. In the church we are quick to look the other way when it comes to holding each other accountable. Jesus was just the opposite.

Zacchaeus was a thieving, lying, manipulative man. We know that. He admitted it. After Jesus forgave him he confessed that he would give back up to 4 times the amount that he had stolen. Yet Jesus ate with Zacchaeus. Jesus laughed and spent time with him. He became his friend. He didn't rebuke, scold or reject him. He wasn't afraid of getting any of Zacchaeus on him. Instead he was thinking how he might get some of himself on Zacchaeus. Here is a man that most churches would preach to stay away from at all costs because he is an example of all that is currupt and filthy and ungodly in the world....yet Jesus loved him and a soul was saved.

The crowds cheered, they waved palm branches welcoming the Savior, the Messiah, the KING!!! Instead of reveling in the glory of the praise he initiated, he wept. Jesus wasn't fooled by temporary, worldly success. He wouldn't settle for anything but the heart. We measure church success with numbers, building amount and size, bank accounts, programs, radio and t.v. time and name recognition. Jesus would never settle for that if the heart was wrong. Would he weep in some of the churches that we consider to be the most blessed? He measured success by a very different set of criteria than we do.

Those in the temple angered him. These were the religious ones. These were the "holy" and "God fearing". Jesus was angry with them and threw them out of the temple calling them thieves. Why is it that we will look the other way calling sin a "struggle" or a "discipline we need to work on" rather than what it is.....sin? We tend to be really soft on each other and on the occaision we confront someone, the offense that is the result divides the fellowship as if going to a brother in love was the sin.

The Bible says that judgment begins in the house of the Lord. Why do we judge the world by a Biblical standard that they have not agreed to follow and coddle the church that HAS agreed to the standard? It seems if we really want to see transformation happen in our communities we would instead start treating "sinners" with love, respect and kindness leading them to Jesus and start holding each other accountable for the things that cause the world to cry out "HYPOCRITE!" It seems to me that if we'd measure our churches by how much we love, give, care and reach out to each other rather than how good we look on t.v. we'd have a far better reputation in the eyes of people.

Jesus wasn't really moody. He always displayed the proper mood to the appropriate situation. If he were in my world he'd be spending lots of time making friends with unbelieving people, teaching people how to love and care for others and making sure that his church was spotless in and out.

If Jesus was moody, I want to be moody too.