Tags
a provocative analogy, bruised reeds, Frozen moments, James Long, Jesus - the husband, rotting skin, smoldering wick, the whole spectrum of emotions
One analogy used to describe Jesus was that of being a husband. The apostle Paul likens Jesus’ wife to those who believe in Jesus (Ephesian 5.25). The husband image is striking in that Jesus in actuality, was celibate. But, Jesus as if a husband is the context for the following self-reflection provided by James Long. For personal reasons that some of you may know, I feel very deeply the sentiments expressed in the following paragraphs.
****************
I looked around my living room, seeing reminders of the relationship my wife and I share. I reflected on just how much I love this woman, and I reminded myself of my desire to be all she needs in a husband. That’s when this question occurred to me: What kind of husband would Jesus have made?
I flipped through the gospel of Matthew with the image in mind of Jesus as a husband. “He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.” (Matthew 12: 19-20)
It was an image of strong gentleness. I thought of Jesus taking time for the children; patiently instructing his followers, though tired and hungry; touching the rotting skin of outcast lepers; weeping over a city’s waywardness; calling even his betrayer “friend.”
This Man felt the whole spectrum of emotion, yet always maintained self-control. He experienced success without it degenerating to egotism. He faced reversal without turning bitter. He endured temptation, but did not yield to its pressure. You could freeze any moment of his life in time and he would have no reason for regrets or embarrassment.
I realized that in a sense, every moment of my life is a moment frozen. An expression of who I am, in that instant. And I decided to devote myself to piling up moments and memories that will give my wife some small glimpse of Jesus in my life. (1)
(1) James Long. “Jesus the Righteous Husband,” in Couples Devotional Bible NIV, Zondervan Publishers, 1994. Available in Calvin Miller’s The Book of Jesus, Simon and Schuster, 1998. Page 193.
COMMENTS ARE WELCOME
