Today, I’m taking a different approach to who Jesus is to me. I hope you find this enjoyable. I remember growing up and sometimes I’d get mad at my brother for annoying me so much. Brothers tend to do that at times. My mom would intervene and tell me “You don’t need to like him right now, but you do need to love him.” So, I’d determined to love him, but I was NOT going to like him. “So there! Take that, Brother!” Then I’d stomp away and feel a sort of accomplishment.
Years later, as an adult, I was praying for a colleague of mine. I began to ask Jesus to show me what He knew about her that He wanted me to know too. Every day I’d pray the same prayer for this woman. She was feisty. She could definitely have an edge to her. She was kind of gruff on the outside, but also kind of soft. She was like an M&M, hard shell on the outside and soft on the inside, with a sweetness you just can’t quite figure out how it all happened.
One day when I was praying for her I remember telling Jesus that I didn’t know why, but I didn’t just love her, I liked her. That’s when I was encouraged to tell her that. So I did. You should have seen the look on her face. Talk about priceless. I can still see her expression; it’s so ingrained in my mind.
She was doing that thing she’d do, complain with an endearing edge to her expression of dismay over something or someone. As I stood listening to her, it’s like God said, “Tell her now that you like her.”
So I did. I said, “Betty, I like you!” Stunned at first, she looked at me strangely, then softened, smiled, and said, “I like you, too, Michelle Barringer.”
Hahahaha! Oh my! I learned a huge lesson in that short, but powerful exchange.
I think we use the word “love” so flippantly, it’s become less meaningful in some ways. But when you tell someone you like them, something magical happens. Their face lights up. You can feel the emotional atmosphere all around them light up like a Christmas tree.
I think people expect to be loved, no matter what, but liked?
As Christians we know we are to love, which means we are to be kind, patient, forgiving, etc. But liking someone means that person has qualities that bring about a favorable regard. We actually feel an affection for that person. We enjoy them. We enjoy spending time with them. We’re endeared to them.
Even though my colleague was quite different from me, I enjoyed her. I liked her.
Have you ever met someone who you just really like? Someone you feel such regard for that you enjoy being around that person? They brighten your day. They make life more fun. They get you and they enjoy you too. There’s a blend of chemistry I guess that sends out some form of electro thing-a-ma-jigs. And Boom! Like happens.
That’s who Jesus is to me. I like Him. I enjoy Him. I enjoy spending time with Him. He has qualities that bring about such high regard, that truthfully, I think of “best” friend kind of qualities.
Jesus is likeable.
Have you ever experienced Jesus that way?
This Advent season my hope for you is that you choose to get know Jesus in such a way that you, too, find Him likeable. I hope you will spend a lot of time with Jesus. Get to know Him. You’ll find out He’s a really likeable, enjoyable Person.
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