A Messy Human like Us

 A Messy Human like Us

 

The child [Jesus] grew up healthy and strong.

LUKE 2.40

 

For forty days and forty nights [Jesus] fasted and became very hungry.

MATTHEW 4.2

 

Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.

JOHN 4.6

 

Being human is messy. Bodies take in food and water, and in return produce fingernails and toenails, phlegm, that crusty stuff in your eyes, urine, blood, earwax, dandruff, and other things we don’t need to discuss — especially at the dinner table!

Jesus was willing to be human in all its messiness. Jesus had to let Mary change his nappy. He went through puberty. He was susceptible to disease and had surging hormones. Jesus got hungry and sleepy, his muscles ached after a hard day in the carpenter’s shop, his nose got sunburned, and his lips got chapped.

Jesus became absolutely human, not just in body, but in mind. Jesus went to school as a child. And he didn’t sit in the front row with all the answers automatically programmed into him. The Bible says that Jesus learned just like we do: “Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature” (LUKE 2:52). He thought like a child before he thought like a man.

Jesus was also fully human in his emotions. He felt the range of human emotions that we feel. When Lazarus died, Jesus “was deeply moved in spirit and troubled” (Jn 11.33, NIV), and he even wept at his friend’s death (11.35). The Lord experienced joy (Jn 15.11) and anger (Mk 3.5) and even surprise (Lk 7.9; Mk 6.6).

We had no choice about being made of flesh and blood, but Jesus chose to be human. While still being completely divine and completely holy, he also willingly took hold of the messiness of being a person. He entered into our reality, walking, breathing, and living in our world.