Understanding Jesus

Imagine a God fearing person who's got a gun, has a lawyer, is against social programs that help the poor and loves money. What does Jesus have to say about this?

1. Gun Culture: Some people buy guns to protect themselves and their property. Yet Jesus says, "Give to anyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back." (Luke 6:30, NKJV)
2. Litigious Culture: Some people sue each other to settle disputes. Yet Jesus says, "If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. (Matthew 5:40, NKJV) Jesus also says, "Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown in prison." (Matthew 5:25, NKJV)
3. Social Programs: Some people don't support social programs that help the poor. Yet Jesus says, "... whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40, NIV)
4. Money: Some people engage in aggressive behaviour to make money, even at other people's expense. Yet Jesus says, "No one can serve two master. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Matthew 6:24, NIV)

Today, we live in a world where our behaviour and our idea of justice is rooted in selfishness - we take from others and we prevent others from taking from us.

By contrast, Jesus is about benevolence, giving and bestowal. Jesus is about what you can give to others and what you can do to benefit others.

Through miracles that set an example of His compassion for others, Jesus healed people for free and he even fed people for free. (Matthew 14:13-21)

Was Jesus born with this understanding? No, He learned it. As it is written, "42 When He was twelve years old ... 46 ... they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions." (Luke 2:42,46, NIV) Jesus was learning. He didn't start his ministry until He was about thirty years old. (Luke 3:23)

And just as Jesus learned about the benevolence of God's ways, we too must learn about the benevolence of God's ways.

Bestowal is about sacrifice, and you have to be willing to give up something in order to benefit others. Specifically, you have to be willing to give up your ego, your selfishness.

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves. If we do this, we will understand Jesus.

Copyright © 2013, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.