A Love of Life

Jesus did not give up his life easily. He did not take death lightly. He loved life.

Jesus was not a stoic or an ascetic. Life in the world was not an annoyance to be shrugged off as soon as possible. He loved it. After all, he created it. The Father had created the universe through him and it was good - very good. Humanity had been created in the image of God and we were good - very good. Until we screwed it up.

Our rebellion and desire for personal godhood brought disaster and ruin, but it didn't diminish Jesus' feelings about us (to say nothing of the affections of the Father and the Spirit). It's hard to imagine that the Son became one of us reluctantly. In some ways it must have been like a holiday to spend time with the people he had invested such creativity and nobility in. To be made in the image of God is no small privilege. The Son was not visiting a wildlife reserve to point at the animals and feign enthusiastic admiration.

Jesus came to spend time with us, to get close to those he had given the gift of personality, to personally enjoy the life he had given as he walked, ate, laughed, and cried with us. This was loving parents visiting with the children after they had grown up. A chance to share in their life again, if only for a moment. This is the grandparent holding a grandchild. This is the traveler who travels far, not to see the monuments and museums, but to spend time with people he would never know unless he made the trip.

Jesus enjoyed the people around them. He had real affection for his Apostles. He cared about the several Mary's and Martha's in his life. No one was a project or a problem to be solved. They were people, and he took joy in them. And he wanted them to experience his joy.

His love was so strong that he couldn't just leave people in their sin and ruined lives. He knew that he had the power and the wisdom to bring lasting healing and to give them back the humanity that he had always intended them to enjoy, but Jesus' mission never turned people into pawns. People were and still are what he is about.

How do we know that Jesus loved life? Luke tells us that Jesus did not face death lightly. His anguish was so great that he sweat blood as he asked his Father to let him live out a normal life. Jesus loved life, but he loved us more. When he was assured there was no other way to meaningfully bless us, he took up the cross given him and handed over his life.

Life and people are a gift to be treasured. If we are biding our time till we can escape all this, then we don't yet have the heart of Jesus. Life is a gift to be experienced and invested in. But as valuable as life is, people are more important. When the choice was between life and people, Jesus chose people. Jesus' investment opened the way to spend all eternity with those he loves through a new and even more dynamic life.