Do we see Jesus as attractive?

This is the question that was posed in our group recently as we were discussing our recent reading from Dallas Willard’s “The Divine Conspiracy”.

As Christians, we know that Jesus is attractive. After all, He attracted us didn’t He? Why then do we seem to be constantly making excuses for Him? It’s often almost like we are friends with the class geek but we donââ?¬â?¢t want any of the cool kids to find out.

When Jesus walked the earth over 2000 years ago there can not be any doubt that Jesus was attractive. People wanted to be around Him. Crowds followed him around and flocked to him wherever he went. He was often a guest at people’s homes for dinner. We know of at least one wedding which He was invited too. People liked having Him around.

When you think about it, that really makes sense. I’m sure, at I least I hope that this is true, that we have all met Christians in the past that have been just so full God and His Holy Spirit that we canââ?¬â?¢t get enough of them. We really enjoy being around people like that. Jesus was the ultimate person like that. He oozed God. He was God.

Why then are we embarrassed of Him?

As we discussed this we thought about the image which the Church as a whole portrays of Jesus. All of us recalled times when a Church leader or a particularly ‘Spiritual’ member of the congregation had encouraged us to consider if we would; go to that place if Jesus was with us, or watch that film if Jesus was with us, or do that thing if Jesus was with us.

Now please don’t misunderstand me, I can of course understand, and indeed, at least in part, agree with the sentiment behind asking ourselves such questions. However, we felt that this does paint a misleading picture of who Jesus was and what He was like.

Jesus was the life of a party. Jesus mixed with people that were undesirable. Jesus didnââ?¬â?¢t condemn others for their behaviour. For example, He ate with tax collectors, He allowed women to wash His feet, and at a party where people had already had too much to drink He replenished the alcohol supply when it ran out. Jesus was not the accusing “kill-joy” that often we leave people thinking He was.

The Jesus that we felt that we were often ashamed of sharing with our friends is not the real Jesus at all. This Jesus is akin in most people�s eyes to an ultra spiritual Bishop or maybe a perfect version of The Pope. The real Jesus is attractive to people. People flock to Him. People love to socialise with Him. They don�t feel condemned by Him. We were drawn to Him. This is the Jesus we need to share.

It was our prayer that we shake off this negative image of Jesus from our own minds and be filled with excitement at introducing people to our best friend!