Twice in my career I worked for a national company based in another city,
in another state. In another time zone. Which led to many interesting
conversations and getting to meet some very interesting people from around the
US of A. The one company based in Cleveland, had a system where you left
messages overnight, a precursor to emails, and they would call you back the next
day. Which would give a new meaning to the popular saying “it’s 5 o’clock
somewhere,” as they would make me their first call in the morning. I
appreciated their efficiency, but not their timing, as 8 o’clock in Cleveland
was 5 o’clock here. AM o’clock that is. Many times I was greeted with “did I
wake you up?” to which I answered “no, I had to get up and answer the phone
anyway.” Some got it, some never did....maybe it’s like the rude telemarketer
who calls at dinner, “can I have your number, I’ll call you back?” and they
hang up. Better than any alarm clock, it only went on for years. And years.
And years.
And people never look like they do over the phone. One particular woman,
who was so sweet, southern drawl, and could get anything done, surprised many of
us a company meeting. We figured her for sweet and petite, she was sweet and
extra large. Able to clear hallways at a single bound. But on our side. I can
only imagine her impressions of us, and how we surprised her when we met.
Another sweet girl who helped us used to giggle, and sounded like the proverbial
cheerleader. In person she had warned us “I don’t look like I sound,” and one
friend had already fallen in love with her voice. When he asked her out for
dinner, she would not accept, until his persistence won her over. Surprise she
was wider than tall, but then so was he! They both got a laugh out of that
one! But it wasn’t always the woman’s voice at 5 o’clock that misled us, one
guy, Tanzer seemed suave and was cool. Street smart. When meeting him he was
anything but, but had guaranteed us a good time. So out to his favorite place
for lunch, “you guys like German food don’t you?” and off we went. Busy at
lunch we waited in line, and when we got to the front of the line, the oompah
music stopped, and every head turned and stared at us. It seems he had taken us
to what appeared to be a Hitler recruiting luncheon, and I promised him if we
ever got out alive I was going to kill him. But the food was good, the waitress
helpful, if not suspicious, she kept leaving us extra pats of butter, and we
escaped unharmed. And we didn’t kill Tanzer....and the joke was on us.
You may have heard the urban legend of the guy who carries the picture that
comes with the wallet with him, telling everyone it is his family. I knew such
a guy, who blew it one day, when he forgot to remove the pretty girl picture,
and his date thought it was his wife. Quick thinking got her away and home
early enough for another date. But it seems we have preconceived ideas, we
profile or judge what people look like by their voice. Maybe it is just wishful
thinking on our part, or merciful to them, but you never know. One other time
we all met Gina, who was head of customer service, and we had been warned was a
knockout. She was...at arm wrestling, and had to beat everyone at the table
before we would or could eat. And after a week of meeting faces that didn’t
match the voice, we all were ready to go home to the safety of our anonymity.
Safe and secure that we all were just as good looking as we appeared to be over
the phone. Even at 5 am for some of us...
From reading the Bible we get a pretty good idea of what Jesus was like.
But what did he look like? One supposedly learned scholar, his words, tried to
make a mental picture of him, based on how God’s hand spans the universe.
Somehow based on the size of the universe, which no one knows but God himself,
and working out a formula, he came up with Jesus was 6’3”, black hair, beard,
and wore sandals. Maybe not very original, how many pictures of him have a
beard, remember it was plucked out, so may be factual, and he wore sandals, as
scripture notes was the show of the day. John was not worthy to tie them. But
the height, he would have stood out in a society of shorter people at the time.
Much like Shaq would at a jockey’s conference. But yet many try to describe
him, and only those alive at the time saw him. But we have the promise we will
someday to fall back on, so how will we recognize him? His hands. We’ll
know.
He was probably ordinary looking, as Judas had to point him out in the
Garden. He was a common man, who had an uncommon heritage, and did uncommon
things. We know his words today in red in the Bible, but it is his actions that
changed lives. His love was more important, and more effectively shown in them
than his words, for faith or words without action is empty. So what does Jesus
look like? I don’t know, but take a look around and you have glimpses of him.
He left us to be his witnesses of him, and a witness can only confirm what he
knows or has seen. Because he gave us his spirit, we can be that effective
witness when we act in love based upon the spirit. And lives will be changed
through us, but not by us.
Paul writes that love without depth and knowledge is useless. How many
examples have you endured of someone going out witnessing and ending up the day
in argument with all? Not winning the argument, just engaging in it. Their
love turns to anger when they aren’t winning, and soon are hateful and full of
resentment. Further boosting their prideful ego by “at least I won the
argument.” NO-you blew it. We need to know when and what to say, and when to
just shut up and listen. Many a conversation has been ruined by going on too
long...”if I accept Christ will you just leave me alone?” And they call that
evangelism? Did any of you come to the Lord that way? And you wonder why you
are not an effective witness?
Without the wisdom of the holy spirit our words are hollow. They are like
the 5 o’clock wake up call, you had to answer the phone anyway. And today when
your phone announces you, they can either not answer, or put you on hold. So
let me leave you with my idea of what Jesus looks like.
In my minds eye I see Jesus walking the crowd while the 5000 were being
fed. “Hi Bill, good to see you, lots of food today, get seconds. Mary, how are
the kids? Peter, can you help that lady with her food? Bob it’s been awhile,
how have you been? Matt-we’re serving your favorite. Sarah, mind if I sit with
the kids so you can eat?” And always surrounded by throngs of children. And a
smile full of love shown to all. He stood out not only because of who he was,
but because of who he was and who was in him. Funny I never see any pictures of
him carrying a Bible, yet when I see those coming at me carrying one, I pretend
to be busy. I know their objective. Jesus was the example of his God writing
his word on our hearts, and how it is there when needed, just as promised. So
based on my perception of Jesus in the crowd, if you ask someone “which one is
Mike?” and I am not in leather, I hope you look for someone who is helping
someone. Being nice to the ones who don’t look like the pictures in the wallet,
or sound like they do over the phone. Who is cheerful, listening-still need
work there, and willing to help, through Jesus Christ. For in him I can do all
things,without him I am a disaster.
We are told to be a witness, use actions and attitudes, then words if
needed. Our job is to see souls won, and needs met, not to win an argument. To
love those who are the least of them, for in doing so we are doing it unto
Christ. The spirit is a gentleman, something to remember when telling about
Jesus. The world already has too many misperceptions about him, don’t add to
them. Love is an interesting word, it is a verb, to love, a personal noun, God
is love, a person, and an adjective-the love of Jesus. Some good things to
remember if a guy named Tanzer takes you to lunch. You never know when all eyes
will be upon you. Should it make a difference in how you act?
And he never invited anyone to church....he went out to the people.
Hmmmmm.....is your witness as pretty as the family in the wallet? Would they
want you to be in it with them?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com