By Joe Perez
Self-confidence is a sign that you have arrived spiritually, according to syndicated columnist Norris Burkes. In “Spirituality: Be your own person,” the Air National Guard chaplain writes:
Jesus … flat out ask[ed] his adoring crowds, “Who do people say that I am?”
The throng fired back some wild-eyed guesses, as some even said he was the ghost of an old prophet.
Others said he was a lunatic, but Jesus brushed those speculations aside and turned to those who were important in his life, his students, and asked, “Who do you say that I am?”
Peter stood and set it straight. “You da man!”
OK, he didn’t exactly say that. Peter said, “You’re the Christ.”
Jesus responded to this astute conclusion with an astounding command. He told them to not tell a soul.
Why would Jesus ask for such anonymity? Some scholars say that he was trying to avoid being crucified prematurely.
I think it was much more.
I think Jesus had arrived at the moment in his life where he knew that he didn’t need to “proclaim” who he was.
His walk, his breath, his talk exuded the confidence of one who was truly different.
He knew his purpose, and he knew he was the only one who needed to feel contentment in that purpose.
Read the whole thing.
World Spirituality suggests that Burkes has identified an important principal of enlightenment, that moment which he says you stop trying to proclaim who you are and just put your effort into being who God wants you to be. Of course, there are many different ways of interpreting what God wants, and I am using this expression as another way of pointing to the Thou in the I/Thou relationship we all have with All That Is.
Norris says of Jesus: “His walk, his breath, his talk exuded the confidence of one who was truly different.”
Or … He exuded the confidence of one who was truly himself, fully realized in Unique Self.
Photo Credit: Andy Houghton
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