Don't Go There

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12

As this is Friday, let us have a little fun with one another. This is the place where you might expect me to explain some trick or joke to play on each other. We are so accustomed to the ways of the world that we fall right into place in a thing like this. Fun with one another must have some prank involved it seems. When Jesus gave His commandment in our opening verse, I don't think He had that sort of thing in mind. At least it is hard for me to make the leap to our Lord as prankster. I have a hard time imagining Jesus causing the campfire to pop while Peter leans over it to cook a few fish on a nice evening or perhaps causing the roasting fishes to stand up and speak with Thomas to ease his doubts. I guess that sort of thinking is not allowed, our Lord does seem to be rather serious minded in the scriptures. Maybe our Lord was quite the laugh riot with His disciples. Do I dare to run the Savior by the judgment bar of my mind?

There is a serious component to our love of one another as Christ loved us. Jesus died on the cross for our sins, healed many very sick people, came down from Heaven to live with us, and took on the Pharisees for the sake of the people living under their religious rule. Self sacrificing love is indeed quite serious. But is that all there is? Did Jesus never laugh? Are we never to have fun together because our Lord was so serious at all times?

Imagine a quiet evening, Jesus seems to be waiting for someone, and someone does come. A leader of the Pharisees, a scholar of the scripture, Nicodemus arrives with a question. Imagine now the expression on the noble countenance of Nicodemus as Jesus tells him, "You must be born again." Priceless! Yet we are so given to avoiding Jesus with a smile, a chuckle at the discomfiture of Nicodemus. We cannot imagine, it seems, the laughter of our Lord as He enjoyed the company of those He loved. The question may not be, "Why was Jesus so serious?" but, "Why are you and me so mean?"

What bothered the religious leaders about Jesus dining with the tax collectors and sinners? Maybe it was because they felt left out of the laughter they heard coming from the place where Jesus sat with those He loved.

Have a little fun this Friday with our Lord Jesus and those He loves (and that very much includes you, my friend).

Bucky