Misunderstanding Jesus?

Unveiling the Bold Truth of His Character

For most of my adult life I’ve been hesitant to speak out about anything that I considered too “political,” at least in a large group setting or with people I didn’t know well. I figured as a Christian my goal was to share the truth about Jesus and let the world take care of itself. After all, Jesus didn’t seem to take sides politically. His goal was to “seek and save the lost,”(Lk 19:10) shouldn’t I copy him and do the same?

Being “like Jesus” may actually be the reason that Christians feel compelled to remain silent when it comes to politics. We have had an impression of Jesus that he didn’t tangle much with political matters, and to a certain extent that is true. He wasn’t interested in what Rome was up to in the middle east at the time. Instead he focused his attention on people and the Kingdom of Heaven.

For a lot of Christians, speaking out against matters that are deemed “political” seems, well, not Christ-like. And while Jesus may have avoided taking sides between Rome and Jerusalem, he was not against speaking the truth.

It seems that many of us have painted a portrait of Jesus as someone who was exclusively "nice." We envision him as a harmless, gentle man who never disturbed the peace and showered everyone with unwavering love. But that perception falls short of capturing the fullness of who Jesus was. In reality, he frequently spoke words of brutal honesty, even if they were difficult for people to swallow, sometimes leading to their rejection of him.

Take, for instance, the encounter with a wealthy young man (Mark 10:17-22). This man sought Jesus' guidance on attaining eternal life. Rather than sugar coating his response, Jesus confronted him with a challenging truth. He instructed the man to relinquish his possessions and give to the poor. It was a demand that revealed the man's attachment to his wealth and left him disheartened. The words of Jesus were far from a conventional display of "niceness."

Another memorable instance occurred when Jesus was teaching about children and the kingdom of God (Matthew 18:5). While most of society considered children to be insignificant, Jesus told people to model their faith after them. Then he said there would be dire consequences for anyone who would cause a child to sin. Namely, that person would be better off if they had a rock tied to their neck and drowned in the sea. Not so nice.

There are countless other examples that reveal Jesus' boldness. He boldly called out his disciple Peter, even referring to him as Satan when his words opposed God's purposes (Matthew 16:21-23). He fearlessly confronted the religious leaders of the day, condemning their hypocrisy and falsehoods (Matthew 23:13-36). And he brazenly challenged the prevailing system of religious power when he drove out the money-changers from the temple in a righteous fury (Matthew 21:12-13).

If we truly desire to embody Christ's likeness, it involves two crucial aspects. First, we must consistently speak the truth. Some say, “yes, but speak the truth in love.” Speaking the truth IS love. Love shouldn’t soften the truth, love should guide it. Love is our motivation, but often the truth comes with a sharp edge.

Second, we must break our silence. Our failure to speak up is the same as participating in deception. Hopefully, a Christian wouldn’t willingly participate in a lie, but know this: withholding the truth can be as deceptive as distorting it.

Therefore, I implore my fellow Christians: do not be afraid to courageously speak the truth when it matters most. When you encounter falsehoods, such as the claim that there are unlimited genders, speak the truth! When companies that you support decide to adopt blatantly anti-biblical values, don’t be afraid to say something. When you encounter the lie that “abortion is healthcare,” speak the truth!

By speaking truth and living with integrity, we become the most authentic embodiment of Jesus imaginable. Like Jesus, we can challenge societal norms, confront hypocrisy, and speak out against wokeism. May our voices echo the timeless message of love and truth as we strive to be authentic reflections of Jesus.