Jesus’ Praise for Imperfect People

I decided to restart this weekly blog on Easter in memory of my brother Keith Sarris. I love seeing Jesus’ praise and encouragement for imperfect people.

Let me also invite you to view our new web site at http://GodIsJustLikeJesus.com – please share with friends.

Consider this passage out of John 1 where Jesus meets Nathaniel:
“The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”  Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.  Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”  “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.  When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” John 1:43-47

One day I was reading this passage and it struck me out of nowhere, “Jesus just complimented Nathaniel! Jesus just praised him! Nathaniel isn’t a person without sin! How can He do that?” That thought really impacted me. Does it impact you? My picture of Jesus (and God) was of someone who was always sticking their finger in my chest demanding that I be better and do more! I didn’t know that I was relating to the Law rather than relating to the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8). When I saw this passage, I was really excited! Here is Jesus praising a human being who makes mistakes! Wow! I didn’t know He did that. I was so used to feeling the devil’s condemnation for not keeping all the law that I had no grid for Jesus praising me. I also realized that Nathaniel was probably a pretty good person but he was still a sinner and not anywhere near perfect. That was hugely encoruaging for me.

When Nathaniel meets Jesus, Jesus praises Nathaniel as a person without guile or deceit. Jesus compliments Nathaniel in front of everyone basically saying, “Now here is an honest guy!” That is quite a compliment coming from the Son of God! It changed how I saw Jesus. I know this may sound obvious to many people but I literally thought, “Wow, Jesus is the kind of person who can find something good to praise in imperfect people who do bad things. Amazing!” Honestly, before this passage I didn’t think he could do that. I thought Jesus gave rules, just hung on a cross as the payment for the sins of the human race. I didn’t think He really liked us or that he would praise us. Isn’t that strange? I had a sense that God loved me but I didn’t really think He liked me. It was an unspoken thing buried very deeply in my image of God that I didn’t even know what there. Seeing Jesus praising sinful imperfect people began to touch this invisible broken part of my image of God. When I discovered 10 or more passages highlighting this character attribute of Jesus and began praying them back to Him. My image of God really began shifting in a more positive direction. The healthier my image of God became, the more strongly I could trust Him during times of great stress or need. I began to have more confidence in God. I could pray with greater faith and trust Him when the pressure was on.

Secondly, the more I saw Jesus finding things in imperfect people to praise, the more easily I began to find things in imperfect people to praise. This naturally and immediately extended to those closest to me like my wife and my kids. I began to find things I honestly appreciate about them in the middle of the daily struggle and stresses. Strangely, this also began to affect how I looked at myself. Have you ever faced the temptation to be self-critical? It is very damaging. I began to wonder if there were things in myself that Jesus was praising but I wasn’t listening to Him? I am overly aware of my failures. However, I was beginning to see that there was far more to His interactions with me than mere criticism of my failures. There are actually things that He praises me for. How I talk to myself began to shift from only self-criticism to being more honest and balanced. Sure, I have to be real about where I am failing and repent (aka grow). But am I also being real about the positive ways I am trying to respond to Him. He is helping me see both sides not, not just the critical side.

Take Away: 

God Is Just Like Jesus:
“If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.” (John 14:9) Jesus came to the earth to reveal the character of God so that we could know what He is like and be able to trust Him. Jesus’ ability to find things to praise in imperfect sinful people reveals God’s ability to find things to praise in imperfect sinful people.

1^st Commandment Prayer: (Worship)
Jesus you are so good! I thought you were only a rule giver! I love it every time when I see that you are a rich and fully three dimensional person who deeply loves your creation and especially your people! I love the fact that you are so different than the devil! He only accuses and points the finger of condemnation at people. But you stoop down in humility and joy to find things to praise in regular everyday people! Jesus, help me hear your praise rather than just the enemies noise. As I hear your praise, help me praise my wife, kids, workers and friends. And Lord, help me also stop being so self-critical and be honest about things I try to do well. Help me be just like You!