I never quite know how to answer when folks tell me that Jesus is just one of the many paths to heaven.  It’s not that I can’t “defend” my faith, I just really don’t want to attack yours’.

And the truth is, I don’t think God needs me to defend Him.

But what I really want to say in those moments is not “I’m right and you’re wrong” because that’s not at all what this is about.  In fact, its the complete opposite.  What I want to do is shake my friend by the shoulders (in a loving sort of way), weeping, and exclaim “Don’t you know?  Don’t you know how precious, and worthy, and magnificent He is!?!  He’s nothing like the others, because He’s so far beyond them or us or any other created thing!  He’s so magnificent, so marvelous, so…. loving!”

And I could tell you a million and one things that make Him different.  His death-sacrifice.  His unchanging, unyielding, un-containable, unimaginable Love.  His righteousness that He imparts to us when we accept His sacrifice as the Way to the Father.  The way He changes people from the inside out.  The way He loves us like the most incredible husband, always serving, caring, carrying.  The way He redeems.  The way He, God Almighty, enthroned forever, came to serve rather than to be served.  This Love.

But the truth is, I can’t convince anyone of what I know with every fiber of my being… that Jesus is far superior, not just to the other gods, but He’s far superior to me, and to you, and He chose to come down to earth, living the lowliest of lives, just to show us that He loves us anyways.  Jesus, born in a manger, murdered on a cross, is God incarnate, choosing to live as a humble, poor servant, to meet with us who couldn’t reach the heights of heaven without a Rescue.  So, this Life lived on earth is meant to show us the radical Love of heaven.

So, in those moments, when I’m struggling for words, because one more person is trying to convince me and themselves that Jesus isn’t distinctly different, then please know that it’s because He’s good beyond words, and I don’t even know where to begin, but it’s also because I’m on the verge of tears because of my love for you and my longing for you to see the glory of the One that surrounds us all… and my love for you pales in comparison to His.

Space  12-14-15