Jesus of the American Dream

Our church just held a Bible conference that hosted Mike Campbell, a pastor from Jackson, as a speaker for three days. He gave us a lot of challenging truths to process through... places my heart tends not to go. Places that I would rather think are for someone else.

On Saturday night he talked through a passage in Matthew in which John the Baptist sends his disciples to ask Jesus, "Are you really the one?" What a puzzling question. Of course John believed He was the one. Wasn't it him who cried out, "Behold the Lamb of God!" when Jesus first approached him? Wasn't he the one who said he wasn't worthy to baptize Jesus? Hadn't he already established that Jesus was the One?

But John was in jail.

Jesus was not fitting his paradigm. He must have been thinking, "Surely if he were the real Messiah, I would not be in bondage. He is coming to make all things right, after all."

John was trying to fit Jesus into his expectations, rather than submitting his expectations to Jesus.

The pastor asked us to think about this question... How am I trying to mold Jesus (the Creator of the universe, mind you) into the person I want him, need him, think him to be? This is the part where I reflexively started to think about how other people do that. How other people make him into a Jesus of their American Dream. What a silly thing... something I would never do. I believe in the Jesus of the Bible, thank you very much.

But then, graciously, the Lord started bringing things to my mind. My longings. What do I really treasure? I long for a beautiful home, with a manicured back yard. I long for perfect family dinners and pinterest holidays. I long for instagram worthy moments in my day and envy-producing vacations. These are treasures in my heart. Where is Jesus? He tends to be my means rather than my end. What a terrible thing to reveal. But it's true. Although it's true that all good things come from him, it's not true that His purpose is just to give me those good things.


He IS the good thing. Period. Everything else is undeserved blessings that should just point me back to Him.

And so, of course I believe He is the one. But when Wilson has a melt down, or when I don't have enough money to buy a Pottery Barn rug, or when I'm struggling to communicate with Andrew, or I'm wondering if we can ever put down roots somewhere.... If I am quiet and listen carefully to what my heart is saying in these times, will I hear "Are you the really the One?" or will I hear "I will follow you wherever you take me. You are the good shepherd."

I'm praying that God would give me the grace to run from treasuring anything but Himself.