| Me: | | | | from innocent, and when you are accused wrongfully |
| Jesus, it's me again. Forgive me for bothering you so | | | | you scream inwardly and outwardly. Shock him and |
| much, but this problem is eroding my innards. I had a | | | | say nothing. He'll marvel at your silence, believe me. |
| terrible row with him today--again. Sometimes I really | | | | Me: |
| despise him. Of course, as you know, being a good | | | | Well, I suppose I didn't have to make that wisecrack |
| Christian, I didn't tell him. Heavens, I have offices in the | | | | about his German distemper when he hit me with that |
| church, and I have to be careful of my image. . . | | | | "You and your Irish temper. . ." |
| Jesus: | | | | Jesus: |
| Image, my all-seeing eye! That's ridiculous. I saw your | | | | Yes, I should give you a permanent stiff upper lip for |
| heart, and it was one big spiritual aneurysm. It was only | | | | that one. The trouble is, even if you never said it you'd |
| my grace that kept it from blowing bits of poison | | | | think it, and it's the thought that gives birth to the deed, |
| through your rotten system. | | | | always. That was one of the purposes of my Sermon |
| Me: | | | | on the Mount: clean up your thoughts and then you'll |
| O Jesus, how can you say that? Why, he started the | | | | clean up your act. |
| whole thing. He always does, spending ten-dollar bills on | | | | Me: |
| ten-cent problems. Why does he do that? | | | | I know, Jesus, but if only he... |
| Jesus: | | | | Jesus: |
| Never mind what he does. I'll take care of him in due | | | | Oh, there you go, with your "but if onlys" again! There |
| time. It's you we need to patch together here. | | | | are no excuses and no exceptions. You're supposed |
| Remember that sentence your friend wrote for you, | | | | to be my portrait just as I'm the portrait of my Father. |
| "Meekness is the lack of self-justification?" | | | | It's an affront to me when you insult one of mine, and |
| Me: | | | | you certainly insulted him that day. He's my child, |
| Well, yes. In fact, I have it right over my desk and I | | | | remember? |
| read it every day. | | | | Me: |
| Jesus: | | | | Well. . . I'm sorry, Jesus. |
| It isn't doing you much good, is it? Now, for your | | | | Jesus: |
| penance I want you to repeat that sentence once | | | | Yes, I believe you. Of course sorry has several |
| every hour. | | | | connotations, but I'm Love and I'll accept it as true |
| Me: | | | | repentance. Now, let's see what we can do to help |
| But I left those "works" years ago! I thought we | | | | you better understand forgiveness. One very |
| weren't supposed to do that penance bit. . . | | | | important thing, it's unconditional, absolutely no strings |
| Jesus: | | | | attached. |
| I'm the High Priest and I'm telling you, repeat that | | | | Me: |
| sentence twice an hour for arguing about it. Now, that | | | | Do you mean that no matter what anyone says or |
| card you spotted in the grocery store. . . | | | | does, I'm supposed to drop it all as if it never |
| Me: | | | | happened? |
| Yes, Jesus, that was really unfair. You didn't give me | | | | Jesus: |
| any time to get my wits together to tell him off. Why, | | | | That's it! |
| that card hit me right in my madness! | | | | Me: |
| Jesus: | | | | Impossible, Jesus. . . |
| It was supposed to. I sent my Holy Spirit down there | | | | Jesus: |
| just before you went storming into the store, and had | | | | True, but that's without me. With me all things are |
| him inspire one of the clerks to put it where I knew you | | | | possible, and that includes a brand new heart of love, |
| couldn't miss it. You see, I know your habits, even the | | | | and a new mind, too: my mind. My friend Paul had lots |
| one of lingering in front of card racks. | | | | to say about the mind. Study Romans 8:6: "To be |
| Me: | | | | carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is |
| But Jesus, that card?! It looked really neat, though--so | | | | life and peace." Your mind can't be at peace when it's |
| colorful. "GOD LOVES YOU!" Wow! Like you said, I | | | | filled with hate and resentment. |
| couldn't miss it. And then when I read what it said | | | | Me: |
| inside, "And what's good enough for God is good | | | | Yes, Jesus. I have to admit I haven't been too peaceful |
| enough for me!" Well, Jesus, I got your message. I | | | | since this last row. |
| bought it and put in on his desk. | | | | Jesus: |
| Jesus: | | | | Of course not. But you can free both of you by |
| Good! You did just what I wanted you to do. You | | | | forgiving him. Besides, I have promised the earth to the |
| followed the promptings of my Spirit, finally. | | | | meek and humble, and the peacemakers I call my |
| Me: | | | | special children. But before you inherit the everlasting |
| It did help. He came in and apologized after he read it. | | | | earth you need to change your character. It may |
| But I'm still mad at him! | | | | shock you to hear this, but if you can't get along with |
| Jesus: | | | | him and forgive him here, you may not have a |
| That's a good word, mad. Of course you are. You're | | | | hereafter! |
| filled with pride and selfishness. | | | | Me: |
| Me: | | | | Somehow that doesn't seem quite fair! |
| But Jesus, you just don't understand. . . | | | | Jesus: |
| Jesus: | | | | But that's the way it is. Why did I die for your sins in |
| Now don't start that canard. I died for you, lady--no, | | | | which you persist? I did it because I love you. Why |
| woman--no lady would act the way you did that day. | | | | can't you forgive for the same reason? But - I have to |
| As for my not understanding, nonsense. Remember, I | | | | stress that I don't love your sins, and I can't excuse |
| walked that same earth, and human nature hasn't | | | | them or allow you to excuse them. |
| changed much, unfortunately. I got murdered by people | | | | Me: |
| who thought they were doing the world a favor. You | | | | But Jesus, if it's someone else's fault. . .! |
| only got chewed out. | | | | Jesus: |
| Me: | | | | Oh, there you go again! Besides, how do you know |
| I got spit out! | | | | that? You may be just as much at fault as the other |
| Jesus: | | | | person. It's your reaction that tells on you. Your pride is |
| Well, remember - I got spit on. But anyway, see what | | | | piqued so you lash out. If you had a humble spirit and if |
| it's done for you. It's sent you to my Word. And it's | | | | you think about me and the sacrifice I made for all of |
| humbled you a bit. We do need to work on that. But at | | | | you, these things wouldn't get your goat so much. |
| least you're searching and praying, and I've been | | | | Speaking of goat, you humans have a gift for making |
| rushing my Holy Spirit to you to clean up that cesspool | | | | scapegoats of others when the fault lies within your |
| in your heart. | | | | own noisome spirit. You're acting like a goat, you |
| Me: | | | | know--very unruly. Read up on sheep and remember |
| Mercy, Jesus! Is it that bad? | | | | that I plan to put the sheep on my right. The goats will |
| Jesus: | | | | be out in left field. |
| Indeed it is. You can't see it, but I can. Speaking of | | | | Me: |
| mercy, do you realize it's my mercy that keeps you | | | | Yes, Jesus. I feel very sheepish. . . |
| from doing even worse things? Have you ever | | | | Jesus: |
| thought to thank me for that? | | | | You should. And while we're on this subject of right- |
| Me: | | | | and left-handed choices, the final distinction is the |
| O yes, Jesus! When I look at what other people do, | | | | sanctified and the unsanctified, not the rich and the |
| why, I'm so grateful I'm not that bad! | | | | poor, the educated and the uneducated, and all those |
| Jesus: | | | | divisions and so-called discernments you humans are |
| You Pharisee, I didn't mean it that way. There but for | | | | so fond of inventing. |
| my grace and pardon, you would be doing all manner | | | | Me: |
| of unrighteousness. And you certainly didn't win any | | | | Well, Jesus, I do try not to judge others. . . |
| celestial points with that awful outburst last week. You | | | | Jesus: |
| know, woman, if you would just keep quiet you'd stay | | | | Ah, but you do! The moment you entertain an |
| out of a lot of trouble. To borrow back from | | | | unforgiving thought you are judging. The first word you |
| Shakespeare who I inspired anyway, "The lady doth | | | | utter in anger is a judgment. Think about that. And I |
| protest too much, methinks." And because of my | | | | know what you wanted to call him, too! You can thank |
| dreadful experience with Pilate, I inspired Shakespeare | | | | my Spirit that you at least had the grace not to say it. |
| to write this, too: "The silence of pure innocence | | | | My friend Matthew recorded what I had to say about |
| persuades when speaking fails." Only you aren't pure | | | | name-calling. Anyone who calls another a fool is in |
| innocence. | | | | danger of the second death. You're to treat all with |
| Me: | | | | tenderness. |
| But Jesus, I didn't even do what he kept saying I did. | | | | Me: |
| Silence surely would not have convinced him. | | | | But it's so hard to remember that in the heat of anger. . |
| Jesus: | | | | . |
| Did all that yelling help? Remember when I stood | | | | Jesus: |
| before Pilate and said nothing? My friend Matthew | | | | If you had my mind you'd have no heat. You need the |
| recorded that Pilate marveled greatly at that silence, | | | | heat from my lamp, my Word, not the world's words. |
| because it's so human to defend ourselves. I didn't do | | | | And don't have the last word!! |
| a thing to deserve being hung on a cross. You're far | | | | |