You Be Jesus.

As the story goes, two brothers, just a couple of years apart, wanted the first pancake their mother was cooking for their breakfast. As they argued, Mom told them, “Jesus would let his brother have the first one.”

The older brother turned to the younger and said, “You be Jesus.”

Don’t we all do that?  We want someone else to be Jesus, not us.

Think of any one of the Bible stories we’ve heard, how it applies to our lives, then think of our responses.  Haven’t we asked someone else to be Jesus? The very first thing that comes to my mind:

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. (Matthew 18:21-22 KJV)

Our Lord forgave those who nailed Him to the cross, and we can’t get over an argument with a family member? A neighbor? How difficult is it to say “I’m sorry.” Or, if on the receiving end, “I’m sorry, too, that this came between us.” Instead, we hold a grudge, justify our actions and allow the rift to grow wider.

How about Jesus’ attendance at temple and synagogues. He was taken as a child and spoke in synagogues as an adult.

And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. (Mark 1:21-22 KJV)

Do we let others be Jesus here, too?  Not attending church services and not even considering teaching?
Lets combine some of these and throw in healing:

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. (Matthew 4:23 KJV)

Well, now, we can’t do all of that. Oh, maybe the synagogues, but travel? We’re limited.  Healing?  We’re neither doctors nor miracle workers. Here it will take Jesus to be Jesus, right?

Nope. We need to be witnessing with every one we meet. Perhaps simply by saying “Have a blessed day.” And, while we may not be physical healers, we can certainly visit those who are ill, hospitalized or in physical therapy. We can certainly assist in their healing and help keep their spirits up.

See?  There’s no need for us to say “You be Jesus.” We just need to follow the Bible’s instructions on being the light He left in the world.

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:5 KJV)

Ye are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14a KJV)

It begins with love and two commandments.

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40 KJV)