I am currently reading a new book by one of my favorite Christian authors, John Eldredge. The book is called “Beautiful Outlaw.” It is about the personality and humanity of Jesus. I want to share a couple of quotes from the book that I hope will mean as much to you as they have to me:

“You must understand an important distinction. There is Christianity and then there is church culture. They are not the same. Often they are far from the same. The personality conveyed through much of Christian culture is not the personality of Jesus but of the people in charge of that particular franchise. Tragically, the world looks at funny hats or big hair, gold thrones and purple curtains, stained glass or fog machines and assumes this is what Jesus must be like. When you are confronted with something from Christian culture, ask yourself, ‘Is this true of the personality of the God of the wind and the desert, the God of sunshine and the open sea?’ This will dispel truckloads of religious nonsense. And by beginning his gospel here, John makes it clear this is quite biblical.”

“Late into the night, early in the morning, walking down the road, in the middle of his supper, at home, abroad, Jesus offers. His time, his words, his touch, flowing like the wine at Cana. To appreciate the reality of it all, remember, this is not Superman. Remember his loneliness, his weariness, his humanity. This is utterly remarkable – particularly in light of the fact that this is a man on a life-or-death mission. He is lavish with himself. And that’s the key, right there – that giving of himself. That is what is so precious. Moses offered leadership, and tirelessly. Solomon handed out the rarest of wisdom free of charge. Pilot seemed willing to toss to the crowds anyone they wanted. But Jesus gives himself. This as, after all, what he came to give, and what we most desperately need.”