Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Being Like Jesus

From the way I socialize with others, some people think that I'm a "people-person". I wasn't actually born a "people-person", and to a significant extent I still ain't. I can live without computer games, the Internet, books and interesting company for quite some time, but I rarely make it through a few hours without being by myself. Some people think it's me being emo. For me, I just have to have that precious time to reflect, think about my life, and selfishly talk to God about ME: MY future, MY problems, MY welfare etc. Okay, it's not THAT bad, but it does take up a huge portion of the conversation topic.

There are people who say that Jesus was a "people-person". I don't disagree. But to say that that was His primary identity would be a huge mistake. Jesus was first and foremost a "God-person". There were times when He just had to be alone, even quite suddenly, in the middle of ministry work. His disciples probably labeled such abrupt occasions as "He's Emo-ing". They had probably found it strange, especially in the beginning, that He should just walk away from their company or the ministry work.

Of course, I am making no such claims to parallel Jesus. Given that among His common conversation topics with God through prayer, only 10% was about Himself (John 17); I'm still a long way off. But at least it makes me feel more comfortable about the pressure of not being a "people-person", and justifies a little about my own emo-periods where I just HAVE to get away from the world and hide in my little closet where it's just God and me.





The next big step for my QT: Waking at 6.30 in the morning.




Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul.
-Psalms 143:8

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
-Mark 1:35

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