Living without layers . . .

When I read about celebrities or view television shows about them, I realize the focus is skewed. Very little or nothing is told about their real life, about daily activities like buying groceries and doing household chores. They are seldom depicted as ordinary people.

We can do that to ourselves too by telling others only what we want them to hear. Social media is a notorious platform for that, as are dating sites. However, it can happen in personal relationships of all kinds. In my experience, the people that I appreciate most are those without layers. They are transparent and not hiding behind a persona that gives a false impression.

This is one big attraction of Jesus Christ. While biblical authors could not tell everything that He did, their descriptions of Him are without pretense or elaboration like that given to today’s movie stars. We can know He was like us from the New Testament stories that tell us He got tired, became hungry, and was tempted.

Even though Jesus did not sin and was not selfish like we are, Luke wanted his readers to see what Jesus was like as a human being. While He is God who came as a man, the emphasis is how He lived as a man. Just two passages reveal a great deal . . .

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:14–21, italics mine)

These few verses tell me that Jesus lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. His teaching was done that way, revealing to me that a perfect man relies of God, not on His own strengths.

Also, Jesus practiced spiritual disciplines. It was His custom to go to the synagogue on the Sabbath. He also read the Old Testament Scriptures and knew where to find the verses He wanted to read.

Third, Jesus knew how those OT verses applied to Him. He heard the voice of the Spirit telling Him that ‘this is about You and You need to obey it.’ While this seems a given considering what we know now about Him, it was a bold move for the son of a carpenter living in a small town without much of a reputation. Jesus was not a wimp nor was He filled with misplaced ambition. He knew exactly who He was and why He was here.

And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. (Luke 4:42–44, italics mine)

Other passages fill in what Luke suggests here; Jesus was a man of prayer. He often went to desolate places to be alone with His Father from whom He received His orders and the strength to obey them. He also operated with purpose, knowing what God wanted Him to do.

As I read this and compare it with my own life and that of many Christians, I can see where our lives are not made as plain to read as the life of Christ. For instance, that part about living in the power of the Holy Spirit. Many Christians have no idea what that looks like or how to achieve it. Many will attend worship services, yet cannot locate familiar verses or know how to apply them. We spend too little time in prayer mostly asking for things that make us comfortable rather than the power of God so we know what to do and how to minister to the world around us.

I find it easy to get tangled up in the celebrity mode of impressing others with my talents and the bright spots in my life. I can also omit or hide the ordinary stuff that everyone can relate to and focus on that which makes me look like a super star.

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Jesus, how easily I fall into this false value system that smacks of pride and vain ambition. This is not only foolish but can be demonic. When I fail to be humble, please humble me.