My stomach is a great gauge of my anxiety.
Anytime anything difficult is going on, there is truly a “pit” in my stomach.
Ever have that feeling? How does your anxiety manifest itself?
When Jesus began his ministry, the focus was on experiencing the Kingdom of God/Heaven. He wanted everyone to “get” what he knew, to have that oneness, peace, and immersion in God/Love. So, he went about his life doing just that.
After three years of ministry, he came to a crossroads. He could have gone on the down low, flying under their radar. Instead, he embraced his calling with complete fervor, and into Passover week, he went.
Bottom line, no matter how much anxiety he had about unsettling the status quo, he did it anyway.
As followers of The Way, we are called to do the same.
For Jesus, this included championing women. The very ones who were considered second class citizens.
How many marginalized folks have we made it a point to help lately?
He befriended those who had nothing, and no one. The very people who were scorned by others, he not just befriended, but sought them out.
Do we hang out with those “like us”? Or do we befriend those that we don’t seem to have as much in common with?
Our easy human answer can sometimes be, “I don’t have any opportunities to meet folks different than me.” Not true.
And he welcomed in the outsiders. In fact, his closest friends started out as outsiders. And look what happened . . . they changed the world.
When’s the last time you spoke to folks you don’t know when you attend “church” – whether that is online or in-person? Just that simple act pushes us to be more like Jesus.
If Jesus’ anxiety manifested itself with his stomach hurting, that last week of his life, odds are he wasn’t very hungry. He was upsetting the status quo continually.
We are called to do the same.
Grace and Peace,
Andrea