10-9-23<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Toe-stepping alert. Some will be offended here; maybe a greater number of you than usually happens. But as they say in legislative debates, I rise on a Point of Personal Privilege. Or, I don\u2019t know\u2026 what cats do with hairballs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recently I wrote about how Jesus was treated in the days leading to His crucifixion \u201cby us.\u201d What I mean was that there is no reason to think that any of us would have acted any differently in those horrible days than the people who, just days before, welcomed Him with Hosannas, or even His closest friends who abandoned and denied Him despite three years spent in His entourage, seeing miracles, knowing His love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, we can be fickle. We often revere the most common things in life. And we often are casual or even dismissive of the holiest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Exhibit A: It is amazing \u2013 and to me, personally, annoying \u2013 how many people, even nominal Christians, who refer to God Almighty as \u201cthe Man Upstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is almost like a superstition, a fear of calling the Most Holy God, Creator of the Universe, Love of our souls, by any of His many proper names. It seems like trying to hold two like-poles of a magnet together. But it is, in reality, an insult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Would it be much different than God referring to us as \u201cThose little fleas down there\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Except, maybe, as matter of degree \u2013 like physical abuse or cruder insults \u2013 disrespect is disrespect, we might be dangerously close to acting like those abusive crowds in Jerusalem. Even those of us who have repented of our sins and asked forgiveness were, as it were, virtually among those crowds who despised and rejected Him, when we choose to continue to live in sin; when we choose to show proper respect before Him. Which we always are: before Him; in His presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do I paint an extreme picture, go too far? You don\u2019t think so? Would you have acted differently back then? Are you as resectful of the Savior\u2026 as He deserves? Even His disciples mostly scattered like autumn leaves in a windy street when things got rough, before our Savior was mocked, kicked, and spat upon, betrayed, seized, jailed, accused, tortured, and killed. And then \u201cwe\u201d hid in fear for three days until He rose from the dead and had to show Himself to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You know, sometimes I wonder \u2013 if such a thing could be measured \u2013 whether \u201cJesus Christ\u201d is uttered more as a curse than a blessing or in prayer across the United States every day. Possibly so. Shame on us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The \u201cMan Upstairs\u201d must be awfully disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When He comes again in Glory it will be humankind\u2019s second chance. Will He be despised and rejected by us again? Take your pulse, as it were \u2013 will we hide our faces from Him? Will you \u201cesteem Him not\u201d (as Isaiah predicted 700 years before Jesus was crucified)? When He returns will He be kicked and punched again? Will you spit on Him?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Will He be called names?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes. He will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Will it be \u201cSon of the Man Upstairs\u201d? Will it be \u201cJe-sus Christ\u201d as in some bitter curse? Or\u2026 will we call Him King of kings, Lord of lords; Savior of our souls?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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