Jesus the populist leader?

Scripture Verses that Caught My Attention Today: Luke 15:1-2 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Observation: Jesus was a magnet for the outcasts. Not so much so, for most Pharisees and scribes.

Application: I wonder what it was about Jesus that was such a natural draw to the common folk and brought such distain from the religious leaders.

These days in politics we periodically have someone who rises up from the crowd as a populist leader. Personally, I am often turned off by the rhetoric. They tend to oversimplify things, draw inaccurate comparisons, and shrewdly endeavor to harness for their own benefit our nation’s let’s-help-the-underdog-win mentality. When it’s all said and done what’s left are lots of promising sound-bites, a newly-elected official, and excuses for why things aren’t getting done. What are the excuses? The ‘other people’ in office won’t cooperate. Well Duh…how did you (insert almost any elected official’s name here) ever think that the people you’ve just spent the last several months lambasting are suddenly gonna treat you like a best friend and bow to your every wish?

But I digress. Yet because of my observation of politics thus far in my life, it somewhat pains me to consider that it’s possible that Jesus came across as a populist leader too. After all, he criticized the established practice of religion, did not bow to earthly rulers, violated established customs and in other ways more or less bucked the system. There is, however, a truly significant difference (besides ‘Saviorship,’ of course) between Jesus and modern-day political hopefuls—Jesus was never in it for himself. He never claimed to be the champion of the underdog, disenfranchised, etc. It’s just simply what he did. As the Scriptures bear witness, the Son of Man came to serve (not to be served), and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Upon noticing that the religious leaders were watching him with great suspicion, in Luke 15 Jesus told three of the most popular stories in the Bible to make his point—the finding of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost sons (each son was ‘lost’ in a different way)—poignant reminders of why Jesus came in the first place.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be part of your finding movement in the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Scripture readings today included: Zechariah 13-14, Psalm 147, Luke 15)