NO HANDLES OUT
When he was abused he did not retort with abuse, when he suffered he uttered no threats, but committed his cause to the One who judges justly. 1 Peter 2:23, N.E.B.
Some psychologists speak of us as having "handles" sticking out--those vulnerable, sensitive areas of our lives by which other people can influence us or even control us. Like the handles sticking out from a pot on a stove that people can bump or grab, our feelings and actions often are controlled by people touching sensitive areas.
For example, I am feeling unsure about my slightly chunky appearance, yet it means a great deal to me that others view me as attractive. An admired friend makes one small, negative comment about people who are overweight, and it sends me straight into an unhealthy crash diet. Or one of my colleagues on the job stifles a yawn while I am expressing an opinion and I become darkly discouraged, even unwilling to talk, nursing my bruised sense of self-worth.
While He walked among insensitive men, Jesus was a perfect example of one who had no "handles" out. There was no way in which the abuses, the attacks, or even the unintentional snubs of petty people could cause Him to lose His composure. His stability did not result from other people always treating Him properly, but from knowing that He was loved by His Father.
Jesus, "knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God" (John 13:3, R.S.V.), was able to minister to the needs of His disciples. What a challenging insight! The one who most securely knows that he is a child of God really is the most adequate, the most secure, person. He does not need to boast, to create status positions for himself, or to defend himself against someone else's false views of him. He knows who he is and can now help others discover how valuable they are too!
The means by which Jesus cures our offensive attitudes and actions are not religious mysteries. He knows that we do most of the stupid things we do because we are frantically trying to prove to others and to ourselves how valuable, how worthwhile, we really are. With nail-scarred hands extended, with embracing arms, He comes to us announcing warmly that we are His children, purchased at a great price. What healing love this is!
When he was abused he did not retort with abuse, when he suffered he uttered no threats, but committed his cause to the One who judges justly. 1 Peter 2:23, N.E.B.
Some psychologists speak of us as having "handles" sticking out--those vulnerable, sensitive areas of our lives by which other people can influence us or even control us. Like the handles sticking out from a pot on a stove that people can bump or grab, our feelings and actions often are controlled by people touching sensitive areas.
For example, I am feeling unsure about my slightly chunky appearance, yet it means a great deal to me that others view me as attractive. An admired friend makes one small, negative comment about people who are overweight, and it sends me straight into an unhealthy crash diet. Or one of my colleagues on the job stifles a yawn while I am expressing an opinion and I become darkly discouraged, even unwilling to talk, nursing my bruised sense of self-worth.
While He walked among insensitive men, Jesus was a perfect example of one who had no "handles" out. There was no way in which the abuses, the attacks, or even the unintentional snubs of petty people could cause Him to lose His composure. His stability did not result from other people always treating Him properly, but from knowing that He was loved by His Father.
Jesus, "knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God" (John 13:3, R.S.V.), was able to minister to the needs of His disciples. What a challenging insight! The one who most securely knows that he is a child of God really is the most adequate, the most secure, person. He does not need to boast, to create status positions for himself, or to defend himself against someone else's false views of him. He knows who he is and can now help others discover how valuable they are too!
The means by which Jesus cures our offensive attitudes and actions are not religious mysteries. He knows that we do most of the stupid things we do because we are frantically trying to prove to others and to ourselves how valuable, how worthwhile, we really are. With nail-scarred hands extended, with embracing arms, He comes to us announcing warmly that we are His children, purchased at a great price. What healing love this is!
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