Being Relatable Like Jesus Brings Understanding Toward Others
Word-Of-The-Day: ‘(38) <Jesus said,> “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. (39) And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.”’ (John 6:38-39)
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and his wife Ginni, enjoy hitting the open roads in an RV (recreational vehicle, or camper). Many conceive the thought the justices, perhaps in part correct, that they are ‘elite’ and stay away from the common folk (like some in Congress do) and are out-of-touch with normal everyday Americans and the American way of life. Not so with the Thomas’, who have an older (but rather large) RV, a 1992 ‘Provost’, that on occasion breaks down, and requires Clarence to jump out onto the roadside and fix it to get it back up and running. They stay in typical RV parks and campgrounds, and stop in truck stops to get gas and snacks, while seeing the sites along roadside America and interacting with normal Americans like the rest of us.
It is refreshing when we see those who many consider ‘elite’ being somewhat ordinary and being with ordinary folks like us. If the majority of the ‘elites’ of DC and Hollywood would do that, perhaps some common sense would return and their ‘ideas’ would be more rooted to reality than much of the nonsense that is being spouted and forced upon the people. It is certain that the Thomas’ understand the rising costs of fuel, food, and RV upkeep by their hobby of ‘hitting the road’, and how it impacts them. This is not to say the Thomas’ aren’t wealthy, so the costs may not impact them as much, but with their hands pumping the gas and hooking up and maintaining the RV they have first hand knowledge of those impacts to us average Americans.
Someone else did the same thing a couple of thousands of years ago, Jesus. He came to Earth from His Heavenly home, not just to fulfill His destiny as the Ultimate Sacrifice, but to also provide that He too could show how He could relate to us; by walking with us, getting His hands and feet dirty working along side His disciples. He experienced hunger, sleeplessness, and even temptation. Jesus had to pay taxes, purchase goods, and interact with those who may not have been congenial to Him or His disciples. He came ‘down’ from His lofty stature to walk among us.
Jesus came to Earth with a purpose, given to Him by God, to provide Salvation to those who choose to accept Him as Lord and Savior. We know God loves all of the people He created, and provided Jesus to come and save as many as possible, by convincing them that Jesus is the Messiah and that He is the only way to come to the Father, with Faith and acceptance in Jesus.
How Jesus is able to convince us is that He demonstrated the best way to lead people; lead by example. Many of our ‘leaders’ today attempt to lead by placing themselves above us, making themselves ‘elite’ and ‘better’. The Pharisees and Sadducees, the Jewish priests and religious leaders of Jesus’ day, were the same, they wore the robes and led the people in worship, so they believed themselves as being ‘elite’ and ‘better’. Jesus, however, lead by serving His people. He came not to talk down to people but to talk with the people, to discuss with them, sometimes one-on-one, their needs. Jesus was ‘hands-on’, healing many by His placing His hands upon them. He washed the feet of the Apostles in an act of service to them, and sacrificed His life on the cross to show how far He loves us.
Jesus continues to lead by example, through the Holy Spirit He guides us but doesn’t force us to follow. He corrects us but allows us to make mistakes, and teaches us from those mistakes to learn more about Him. Jesus can identify with us, and we with Him, as He is ‘one of us’ who has lived like us, and it is far easier to follow and relate to Jesus and His humility than to those who portray themselves as ‘better’.
