Thing One
Yesterday I told you that Will Briggs tagged me, asking me to list five things I dig about Jesus.
I also told you that Tony Myles tagged me, asking me to list eight random facts about myself and — adding insult to injury — telling me that I should tag eight others. Some played along (albeit in a grumbly sort of way); some haven’t even responded.
Perhaps I lost cool points by joining the ranks of the meme-ites.
Still, I’m thinking and thinking about Will’s question: What are five things I dig about Jesus?
Of course, I could list hundreds of things, but he only asked for five. He did not say they had to be the five main things I dig about Jesus or the five most important things or the five most personally relevant things. He just asked for five things.
Should be simple enough, right? I mean I’m a writer, and I write and talk about Jesus all the time.
And here I am with writer’s block….
Okay, maybe I’ll do these one at a time. Five things I dig about Jesus — Thing One: Jesus had a sense of humor.
Jesus told jokes and funny stories and gave his friends nicknames. He got invited to parties (and I’m not talking about potlucks in the fellowship hall). Sailors and hookers liked to hang out with him. Sailors and hookers don’t tend to hang out with people who are prudish and serious all the time. There must have been something about him that put them at ease, made them feel comfortable. I bet it was his sense of humor.
Let’s make this a little interactive: In your opinion, what’s the funniest thing Jesus ever did or said?
July 24th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
I started to answer those as I did your meme tag. But I found it too difficult.
July 24th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
I will answer JAT … in time!
July 24th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Tough question. So many choices.
My top contenders:
“Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?”
Memorable as they are, I have still been known to have to crawl out of a metaphorical pit or two; to cling to my possessions as if they would last forever; and to fail to trust God to give me what’s best for me.
July 24th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
That all just means I might make is guest list.
July 25th, 2007 at 11:33 am
When he told the storm to shut up after his friends interrupted his nap.
July 25th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
“Albeit in a grumbly sort of way?!?”
Hey . . . I answered them!!
Yeah, well – maybe just a BIT grumbly. But the next day, too. After saying I was going to wait a few days. Which is because (as I’m sure you’ve guessed) I ran out of brilliant things to blog about. ha!
As for Jesus saying funny things, I know he DID some funny things. Like make water turn to wine. I mean, that sure screwed up the cofC’ers terribly all of this time later. You know?
I find it funny, anyway. His very first miracle, too.
Boy, has that ever messed up some communions, too.
Dee
July 25th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Besides . . . (back to the meme “issue”), what about TCS? I mean his response was a bit grumbly, as well, and you didn’t even mention him!
Just sayin’ . . .
Dee
July 25th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
Hey mine wasn’t grumbly…just rude.
July 26th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
I love making Peter go get the temple tax out of the mouth of a fish. That was just too good.
July 26th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
The double meanings in John are usually pretty good like telling Nicodemus to be born again. There are roughly 14 of them in the Gospel of John. I can just see Jesus toss out things like that and let them wallow in confusion for just a minute trying to figure out what in the world he means and then he finally explains. Another example: eat my flesh and drink my blood…That had to throw them for a loop but looking back it totally makes sense.
To answer your question, the funniest thing he may have done was to become a baby. Imagine God with no bladder bowl or drool control. Not to be disrespectful but he had to have a pretty good sense of humor to put himself through that one. If not that one I think it is probably something to do with taking on flesh and walking around that way for a while. Can you imagine letting a splinter go into your finger knowing good and well that was going to happen and that you made the crazy thing that sharp?
August 9th, 2007 at 1:06 am
I don’t have a blog (yet) and have never been tagged (other than in a few games as a child…was always the slow one)…but I will chime in on this one anyways. I have to go along with Matt Dabbs’ train of thought on this. The whole idea of Jesus as a baby, child…or worse yet… a teenager. Just thinking about all the things my kids (now grown) went through as teenagers… man oh man.. now there are some funny stories. And what about zits???? No Clearasil. Wait…one more, and this could be the winner…Was it Joseph or Mary that got to give the birds and the bee talk?