The great Shepherd and Guardian of our souls set the example for those who follow him. I find it utterly distasteful!

Rather than doing what seemed right to him at the time, Jesus instead sought the will, direction and best purposes of God, in everything!

Rather than bending the facts of a matter to suit his comfort, his reputation, his purposes, Jesus instead spoke the truth without exception!

Rather than verbally striking back to defend his “rightness” and rather than calling down fire from heaven to redress wrongs done to him, Jesus chose instead to defer to God’s judgment and action in all things!

Rather than pitying sinful humanity for our inability to attain right standing with God, Jesus bore the pain of our punishment at the cross, so that the gift of salvation could be extended to everyone!

I am expected to follow this path? “Sheer lunacy,” I say! I much prefer pretending to obey the Ten Commandments, to give some of my money and to suffer the company of fools once a week on Sunday mornings. This whole call to the “normalcy of suffering” for the sake of reflecting the presence and power of Christ in me is bah humbug!