Have An Emotional Life Like JesusSample

DAY TWO: How Would You React?  

If anyone had reason to be like our out-of-control minibike, Jesus did. Jesus had some very real enemies. They had a constant public plan to ruin His reputation. They said He was a drunk, a glutton with no self-control, and a demon-possessed party animal who spent a lot of time with the kind of folks who like to wear underwear as outer wear while breaking the commandments with full zeal. That’s a rough public relations nightmare for a single, homeless guy trying to launch a brand-new ministry from scratch.

Jesus, who never sinned, did call them hypocrites, white-washed tombs, serpents, and blind guides, and said that their daddy was the devil—all of which probably got pretty emotional. How have you responded to enemies who continually harangue and harass you publicly?

Religious neat nicks, who were more conservative than God, regularly attacked Jesus in public. They would wait for a crowd to surround Jesus, and then pick a fight, start an argument, or try to incite a riot. Quite frequently Jesus had to make a run for it because things got so dire that He was in real danger.

Jesus had a constant parade of people who drained His life energy. Crowds followed Him wherever He went, wanting Him to answer their questions, cast out their demons, heal their infirmities, fix all their problems, pay their bills, and be their friend. Jesus had no assistant to schedule any of this nor any office for them to come to, so they just followed Him around like a swarm of mosquitos continually buzzing day and night wherever He went.

How do you respond when people get on your last nerve and refuse to give you your space?

People wore Jesus out. On one occasion He took a nap on a boat during a massive storm. That’s a yawning Yahweh. What is your emotional response to people when you are flat out weary, sick, tired, and burned out? How would you respond to all of this constant public pressure for three years? Would you default to rage, depression, or some other emotion?