Luke tells all

If Luke had lived today, he surely would have blogged out Jesus' story. He might have been a tabloid writer for some Hollywood rag -- except that he wrote what he knew to be the truth. In fact, he tells his audience (someone named Theophilus) that he had "carefully investigated" the story. Something most rag writers fail to accomplish.

So, imagine that you are a single guy working in a downtown high rise. And you spot this woman -- this god-dess, to use the venacular -- and you decide she's the one for you. How do you begin? If you're like most guys, you start by careful investigation. You observe. How does she get to work? Which floor does she work on? What company does she work for? And if you're really taken, you start asking questions. "Say, who is that tall redhead? Is she single?"

We can take the same approach to Jesus. In fact, I try to do it whenever I'm reading in the Bible. "Who is that guy Jesus?" "Why does he do that?" "What makes him tick?" As I read, I'm always asking questions and looking for answers. It really makes the words more interesting.

As I was cruising through Luke chapters 4-6, I was thinking about these same issues, asking myself questions, and I stumbled on this sentence... Jesus is answering a question, "Why do you eat with such scum?"

And he says, "Healthy people don't need a doctor -- sick people do. I have come to call sinners to turn from their sins, not to spend my time with those who think they are already good enough."

Whoever Jesus was, he WASN'T a goody two shoes. He wasn't interested in hypocrites -- folks who thought they were pretty perfect just the way they were. In fact, he's looking for people who KNOW that they don't have it all together. Folks who understand that something deep down isn't working.

You know, that comforts me. We live in a world where we're all supposed to love and value ourselves -- to have great self esteem. But the truth is, most of us are pretty screwed up. We don't really manage our lives all that well. We struggle with bits of greed, and anger, and selfishness. We ditch our families when the going gets tough. We honk when someone cuts in front of us. We use words that would make our mothers blush.

Isn't it a breath of fresh air to say, "Yeah, I'm not so perfect, either." And isn't it a comfort to know that whoever Jesus is, he's looking for you -- imperfect as you are?

What did you see in the first six chapters of Lukes letter?

Bette