Reading the article (see link above) in Slate.com made me think about the past Jesus’ I had met, or should I say made.

I have made my own Jesus before. It was long lasting or satisfying, but in the moment in made things easy. I did not have to have guilt or awkwardness if I made the Jesus who would be comfortable with me, and I with him. We met on common ground, like spiritual seekers trying to connect. “traveling, pot smoking, spiritual guy iso messiah with same interests,” the Craig’s List classified might read.

I changed Jesus’ more frequently that defense attorneys @ the Saddam trial. They all had elements of truth, but were all incomplete. There was Beatnik Jesus. He wandered without a home, meeting random people, speaking Truth and digging the moment. There was rasta Jesus, he was a lot like Beatnik Jesus but took a break a little after 4 each afternoon. There was Revolutionary Jesus complete with red starred beret. He was out to take down the wealthy and liberate the peasants. There was hot combed, right wing Jesus who was all about justice and self reliance. There were probably a dozen others whose names are forgotten like spiritual one night stands.

They were as empty and shameful as well. They were lazy, cheap, and ultimately, idolatry. I was fashioning a god for myself. I used parts of the truth, but ignored others. I ignored holiness at times, sacrifice at times, the resurrection…all the things that complete Jesus, that make him lamb, Lord and Christ.

The real Jesus does not require assembly. As a matter of fact, he calls for us to listen to him, to watch him, and then to decide if we will follow him. The real Jesus bear no modern marks of culture or politics, but is uniquely relevant because he transcends those things. The real Jesus confronts my life is not molded to it. The real Jesus is, as the Scriptures, the image of the invisible God, not the image of the all too visible flaws want that are part of us. The image of Christ becomes more whole as we see God revealed in him. He does not look like a spiritual mister potato head. “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father,” is the claim Jesus makes to his disciples.

As the children of Israel saw God revealed in power, they gathered and from their own wealth and their recent past, decided to keep the name of God, but fashion a golden calf to make a more graspable deity. God was not pleased. God was not known. As you seek Jesus, seek him revealed as the Scriptures portray. Allow him to present himself and lay down he idol maker’s chisel.