This week we will continue to explore 7 ways Jesus showed love, love that we can seek to replicate to those around us.

Listening

Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the centre. “Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So, what do you say?” They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him.
Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. 
John 8:3-8

This week we will continue to explore 7 ways Jesus showed love, love that we can seek to replicate to those around us.

6. Sharing

As he was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter), and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. “Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fish forpeople.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Matthew 4:18-20

This week we will continue to explore 7 ways Jesus showed love, love that we can seek to replicate to those around us.

5. Serving

Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:25-28

This week we will continue to explore 7 ways Jesus showed love, love that we can seek to replicate to those around us.

4. Gentleness

The next day, when the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet him. They kept shouting:

“Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord —the King of Israel!”
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written:
Do not be afraid,
Daughter Zion. Look, your King is coming,
sitting on a donkey’s colt.
John 12:12-15

This week we will continue to explore 7 ways Jesus showed love, love that we can seek to replicate to those around us.

Physical Touch

While he was in one of the towns, a man was there who had leprosy^[c] all over him. He saw Jesus, fell facedown, and begged him: “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Reaching out his hand, Jesus touched him, saying, “I am willing; be made clean,” and immediately the leprosy left him.
Luke 5:12-13

This week we will continue to explore 7 ways Jesus showed love, love that we can seek to replicate to those around us.

2. Compassion

“He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.
Matthew 27:42

The most startling display of love for others is in the cross of Jesus Christ. Whilst some might be willing to die for people who have lived an amazing life or are ‘really really nice’ people, it is unlikely we would give our lives for the worst sinners and scum bags we can think of. This is where the sacrifice Jesus made is all the more amazing, before anyone chose him, Jesus gave his life for everyone regardless of the scale of the mess we’ve made in life. That’s hard to comprehend and seems just too merciful and loving, but that is the point. Jesus did something that no one else was able to do. 

I’m assuming you’ve clicked on to this second blog as you’ve read my first one entitled “Men and Mental Health – Let’s Talk”. If you have not read that I would recommend you do so before progressing any further!
Referring back to the ‘Masculinity Report’ carried out by the wonderfully named, “Campaign Against Living Miserably” (CALM), I think it’s good to unpick Professor Damien Ridge’s comments about how men tend to ‘self-medicate’.

As I write some reflections about “Men and Mental Health”, please note that I have added the caveat of “Let’s Talk”. It’s vitally important that the title is read in its entirety.
Now before you get stuck in to the ‘meaty stuff’ about a really complex subject, I feel that I must add the disclaimer that I’m not coming at this subject from the angle of being an academic exponent in this field.
It’s true that I have studied this subject; men and mental health is very close to my heart, and whilst I have attained a couple of qualifications in the field, I’m no Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Psychotherapist or indeed anything else beginning with “Psych”……

I was on the train recently, going through the normal process of checking emails, bit of light reading and staring with glazed eyes out of the window as I travelled backwards into London.

‘If you’ve got time to worry you’ve got time to pray.’

A group of Asian students had got in the same carriage as me and were chatting away, in a language completely unknown to me, then suddenly a cool thing happened.

As one of the guys was chatting away, I suddenly heard him say this; ‘if you’ve got time to worry you’ve got time to pray.’ He then carried on chatting and no more English was spoken during the rest of the trip.

I sat for a while thinking about that little phrase, I liked it!