“Jesus isn’t shocked by self-centeredness.”

A thought by Brant Hansen (2015-04-14) from his book, Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better (p. 31). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

He isn’t. He knows us, he is not shocked by us.

John in his book in the New Testament of the Bible tells us, “Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew human nature. No one needed to tell him what mankind is really like” (John 2: 24– 25 NLT). He knows what we are like apart from his Spirit living in us.

Brant says, “Jesus isn’t shocked by self-centeredness. Neither is He scandalized by others’ moral behavior. Ever. He knows how we are. He knows how the human heart works.”

Then Brant says, “Maybe those who seek to follow Him could take that same approach. Perhaps a big part of being less offendable is seeing the human heart for what it is: Untrustworthy. Unfaithful. Prone to selfishness. Got it. Now we don’t have to be shocked.”

But here is the point, “Yes, the world is broken. But don’t be offended by it. Instead, thank God that He’s intervened in it, and He’s going to restore it to everything it was meant to be. His kingdom is breaking through, bit by bit. Recognize it, and wonder at it.”

He goes on to say, “War is not exceptional; peace is. Worry is not exceptional; trust is. Decay is not exceptional; restoration is. Anger is not exceptional; gratitude is. Selfishness is not exceptional; sacrifice is. Defensiveness is not exceptional; love is. And judgmentalism is not exceptional . . . But grace is. Recognize our current state, and then replace the shock and anger with gratitude. Someone cuts you off on your commute? Just expect it. No big deal. Let it drop, and then be thankful for the person, that exceptional person, who lets you merge. See the human heart for what it is, adjust expectations, and be grateful, not angry.”

Oh such a mind-altering truth. In Christ we will be a “New Creation” and will be the exception.

Don’t you want to be the exception?

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