i used to be confused over Jesus’ requests or commands to people not to tell anyone that He had healed them. but over time, i got the hints about the unthinking mob mentality of the people. too much good press, and they would try to force some sort of military coup or worse yet, only believe in Him as long as there was something cool to see. people’s desire of Jesus were many & varied. some people, i’m sure, had a legitimate need to be met, such as a possessed or dying child. others wanted a hand out, those who were fed with the “5000” crowd. or those wanting a show, the group that asked for a sign, but were told they’d only get the sign of jonah.

what are the needs of Jesus in these situations where people mobbed Him, clawed at Him, begging & asking for help? it’s no wonder that He took time to be alone for prayer & solitude. there have to be social, emotional & physical needs in times like this…Jesus’ humanity has to be taken into consideration. part of being human is being worn out and worn down. we only have a limited amount of energy to burn, and when that is gone, there are definitely emotional & physical responses that come. so, while Jesus was indeed fully God, and had an advantage on the purity of thought & attitude side that we would have trouble grasping, we need to remember that, on the same token, He wasn’t some automaton. He didn’t run like the energizer bunny 24/7/365. if He could fall asleep & stay asleep as a boat is being violently tossed in a storm, you know He had to be exhausted form time to time. and during His ministry, probably more often than not.

That’s probably why He was a carpenter. that occupation takes patience and a calm disposition when you are hand carving things, and doing all the intricate detail work. so, did Jesus ever whittle, just sit around and make little things at the end of the day? hmmm?

at any rate, we also need to realize that Jesus’ attitude was also built on discipline. He wasn’t a “fly by His seat” kind of guy when it came to His spiritual life. He had customs, regular practices, that He took part in. going to synagogue each week, spending time alone in prayer, service to others, and through these, a proper attitude naturally springs forth.

Where does the override to sinful inclination take place for us? why do we tend to fly off the handle more often? why do we base our attitudes on selfish or prideful ideals rather than on Jesus? if we have access to God to day through Jesus -direct access- then what difference should there be in how we handle a situation from how Jesus would? We are not God, but we do have a direct audience with Him that we can take part in at any given moment in time. What do we do with this honor? Do we ‘use’ it properly? it probably depends on why we came to Jesus in the first place. was it for help, a handout or a show? each reason will bring a different reaction in our own lives.