Literal Jesus

October Epistle Article
The next time you read through the gospels, really try to read them as the first time you’ve come to them without any preconceived ideas. Really take in everything that Jesus does and says while he was here on this earth. Forget all the commentaries and every story as you’ve been previously taught. If we were to only see Jesus as he is often taught to us, we’d assume that Jesus, the meek and mild, never offended anyone. Be careful that the Jesus you believe in is not the sanitized and safe Jesus that promises you health, wealth, and happiness in this life.
Maybe after so long of being a Christian, we see the reissued commands that Jesus makes and water them down to our believed capabilities. ‘Turn the other cheek’ ‘Don’t resist an evil person’ ‘Give to the one who asks you’ ‘Be perfect.’ When Jesus simply said ‘follow me’, the apostles dropped everything to follow him. But when he went to some others, and they had something else they needed to do first… Jesus went on without them. Jesus is speaking to us in the Parable of the Sower, when he talks about the seeds that grew among the thorns:
The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. –Luke 8:14
How often are we distracted by all that the world offers. We find the time to do the things which entertain us, but rarely find the time to read and pray to God. Not that I’m trying to guilt you into it, but if we really loved God, wouldn’t we seek him out? Wouldn’t we long for the next time we’d pray to him? Wouldn’t we long for the next time we read the Bible and eagerly sought out what it teaches us? We should take the time and examine ourselves. What are we really passionate about? What do we really strive for in this life? If Jesus were to ask you, “Follow Me.” Would you drop everything and go? Would you follow Jesus literally or figuratively?
-Aaron