Summary: Jesus’ Praise for Imperfect People
Today’s post is a quick summary of the series on Jesus’ Praise & Encouragement for imperfect people.
Over the last 2 months we looked at numerous passages where Jesus praises various people. Initially we looked at Jesus praising Nathanael for his basic honesty and lack of deceit. “There’s a real Israelite, not a false bone in his body.” (The Message) You can almost hear Jesus delighting in Nathanael’s honesty! Jesus praises Peter for hearing from the Father Himself the revelation that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah AND that Jesus was also divine (The Son of God). Jesus praises another of His disciples, Mary, for fully receiving every word He spoke even to the neglect of the daily chores! Later, before His death, He delights in Mary’s radical gift of roughly a year’s wages as she anoints His head and feet with costly fragrant oil. Jesus describes it saying, “She has done a beautiful thing to me.” Jesus praises the sinful woman at His feet in Simon the Pharisee’s house saying, “She loved much!” He praises a Jewish teacher of the law after hearing his words saying, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God!” Jesus praises the very poor widow woman as being one of the most radically generous people when she tithes her 2 copper coins. Jesus also praises non-Jewish people. He praises the Roman Soldier, a commander of 100 soldiers, as having “Great Faith!” He also reserves this high praise for the gentile Canaanite woman saying, “Woman, you have great faith!” Lastly, Jonah Peterson, emailed and highlighted that Jesus praises Zacchaeus, the Tax collectors in Luke 19 saying, “… this man, too, is a son of Abraham.” What a high praise from Jesus to have your faith acknowledged to be similar to the great patriarch, Abraham.
In all these examples we want to remember John 14:9 where Jesus says, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.” Jesus’ praise for imperfect people reveals the Father’s praise for imperfect people! The main way you will understand the character and goodness of the invisible God is to look long and ardently at the character of Jesus alone!
1st Commandment Prayer (aka Worship):
Jesus I delight that you find things to praise in imperfect human beings. You are not a fault-finder like the enemy! You delight to call out the budding virtues in human beings and openly praise them. You are that kind of person. Help me hear your praises in my everyday life!