What would it look like if Jesus’ followers reviewed him like students review teachers? Strange thought, I know. But that was precisely Amanda Lehr’s thesis.
Here’s my weird spin on that idea.
Professor Jesus’ reviews from students like you and me:
- “The first day in class there was no syllabus. He just had his cousin dunk us in the river! What’s up with that?”
- “Jesus is okay, I guess, but he doesn’t vet his TAs: they all provide completely different and conflicting lecture notes. Go to Mark’s notes for the basic info. Matthew’s is a bit wordy. John’s notes sound like a different class altogether. My recommendation is to try Luke’s notes.”
- “I thought Jesus’ class was on Christianity not progressivism.”
- “Is this a horticulture class? He’s always talking about seeds. Mustard seeds, Wheat seeds. Grain this, grain that. Seeds, seeds, seeds.”
- “Plays favorites. Calls on the same twelve over and over. I even heard he took them out to dinner.”
Where are we challenged by a Risen Jesus? How hard are God’s assignments for us? Can we keep up with the homework? In our day-in-day-out living are we getting a passing grade? Rather than criticize others, my advice is to try starting with oneself and build from there one assignment at a time.
Shalom, Paul