Jesus exuded calmness.
You could say it was because he loved so completely. Or maybe it was because he trusted God so deeply. Another factor might be he knew his identity and mission and no one was going to stop him from it, not even the devil himself.
Jesus was calm.
I cannot say that I am nearly so calm…not in quantity or quality. This is something I have wondered about for a while now. When calmness sets in there is an itch…some squirming in my seat…like spiritual ADHD…I get a case of the spiritual wiggles. Like the DSM diagnostics on ADHD I “move about as if driven by a motor.”
Something always needs to be stirring, moving, shaking…or else it feels like I am not doing it right.
But I am convinced this approach is not doing it right.
Calm is good for the soul.
I just need to learn to be still and know that God is God and that Sabbath was made for us…stillness, calmness, trusting slowness. All of these things are good for our soul and what comes most natural to us is not always the best for us.
So watch Jesus for a while and watch him calmly disarm arguments against him. Watch him calm storms and calm demon possessed people. Jesus was the master of being calm and I think he wants that for us too.
I think what it usually boils down to for me is operating from my own strength (which isn’t very strong) rather than from Jesus’ strength. That is a humbling thought!
Do you ever feel this way or is it just me?
2 Responses
Very thought provoking. Usually we go the other direction and talk of Jesus righteous indignation/anger, so we can justify our usually unrighteous indignation/anger. But as you point out Jesus was a cool customer even when confronted by angry people.
Indeed!