He was born into poverty. Grew up the son of a tradesman of some sort. Part of a large family and being the eldest son spent a fair bit of his time working to help support his family. He didn't have much schooling. Apparently learned to read and was largely self educated. Lived in a back water area where, according to big city folk, people were slow and simple. Kind of what we would consider a hillbilly. Probably hung out in the nearest town a lot as a youth and got a fair bit of knowledge from observing the people there. Picking up knowledge and wisdom along the way from whatever sources were available. He was humble so he didn't show off his intellect but he was very intelligent.
At the age of thirty he was baptized. He immediately started into a life of ministry. His ministry thrived and his followers were many. So much so that he had a hard time being alone with God and at times had to go to extreme measures to attain a level of solitude. He preached of repentance. He spoke of mercy and forgiveness. He spoke of riches as being an obstacle for some. He told us to not concern ourselves with the future but to stay in the present. He told us to store up for ourselves spiritual things instead of silver and gold. He told us the least would be the most. He hung out with the unclean and the poor. He forgave those that had no righteousness and warned those that were overly righteous. He loved life and loved people and was unafraid to be vulnerable. He gave his very life for those that had turned their back on him.
I speak of no other than the Messiah himself. Truth is there is very little known of Jesus from his infancy until his ministry kicked into full gear. The Gospels have very little to tell us of his early life moments. My take is just speculation but I believe it to be true. It seems to me his profile is much more that of a socialist than of a conservative yet who are the political champions of Christianity nowadays? Steven Harper and George Bush are prime examples that really pressed home their Christian walk as part of their platform.
It frustrates me. I'm not exactly left wing but I'm certainly not in favour of deregulation of industry and the conservative political parties are. I'm in favour of strong social programs with room for compassion and parties like the NDP are too. I believe people have the right to be whomever they choose to be however I'm against gay marriage and even recognition of the status of couple when it comes to benefits etc. They are welcome to choose that if they want but I believe it to be against God's law and therefore to be sinful. In my church I would welcome them in to worship with me however not to be put into a position of leadership. I'm also pro-life and believe abortion to be a form of murder. The NDP would not want me in their party with views like that. I'm pro-labour and would like to see better protection for workers than what is enjoyed right now but there is no political party that fits the bill for all of my concerns and my viewpoint.
The communist block fell apart because communism doesn't work. Capitalism is crumbling right now because it doesn't work either. Somewhere in between the two is socialism and it is what I believe Jesus was preaching to us(a secondary message, his main message was about our eternal destiny). Tommy Douglas was a socialist and a pastor. Later he was the father of medicare in this country as the premier of Saskatchewan. FDR(32ND president of the US) was a Christian and referred to himself as slightly left of center. He pioneered unemployment benefits and old age security in the USA. Somewhere between then and now the Christian label has been hi-jacked by the conservative right. Show me one scripture that supports Jesus was a hard line conservative(I doubt there is even one) and I can show you ten that indicate his ideals were socialist in nature. After his ascension the early church was selling off their possessions to help the poor and pooling their resources for the common good. They weren't setting up hedge funds and handing over billions to corporations while watering down individual rights and freedoms. It makes me angry, the way things are in the here and now but it doesn't make want to go and set up a tent in Vanier park either.
I don't have a solution here. I pray about it regularly and will continue to fight for what I believe is right. I will respect authority but I don't have to agree with their policies when I believe them to be against a higher law. Jesus stands up for the oppressed, he doesn't cause it. Any feedback, even negative, I would love to hear.
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