What I love about Jesus

I don't often go to church. There was a time in my life where I basically lived there. I would volunteer to clean, help with children's ministry, lead worship, host potlucks, and sit in prayer for hours. Some of my friends find church boring, but I have never been bored by it. It's always held a fascination for me. From the cathedrals of the Catholic church where my earliest memories of worship were formed to the hip, catered and carefully lit room I just left a few hours ago, sacred gatherings have been a source of comfort to me.

But I don't agree with all the dogma, and I rarely attend these days.

One night when I was praying in one of these sacred places, I went to the window looking out over the central bus station of the city. I watched the mass of humanity coming and going, and I realized I was missing them. I had always been told Jesus died to save humanity, but I was cut off from them. It's been a slow dance back to dwelling among people.

Why I love Jesus is because He "became flesh and made His dwelling among us." He became a Jew, with a funny nose and short stature. He was born out of wedlock. He was a blue collar worker like me. He was homeless for the duration of his ministry. He used mud to heal people, playing in the dirt to save a woman's life long before women's rights was being talked about, and taught theology to an outcast of society (also a woman) at a well. He was common, marginalized, unconventional, brilliant, controversial, and polarizing. He was also compassionate and forgiving when he had no reason to be. I am in love with this man's character and have been as long as I can remember.

Jesus is not a God for the perfect. He didn't come as perfect. He came as imperfectly as humanly possible. He didn't do it right. He died instead of leading a revolution and discharging Rome like Messiah was supposed to. I can love a God who loves and wants me in my imperfections. I can love a God who helps me when I cannot help myself. I can love a God who doesn't condemn me.
Because He loved me first, and yes, there's been evidence in my life to back that up.

I don't go to church often. I like to think that Jesus is still dwelling among us. Common, imperfect, beautiful. I choose to be among "them." That's where I find Jesus.