We tend to beieve that if we are living “right” we will achieve “success” (as if such a thing exists … ).
But this is not what Jesus the Christ modelled through his life example. His life is one that thousands of years later is still extolled as the example of an Exalted Life. The story of Jesus is indeed a beautiful demonstration of Universal Design. There was nothing in that life drama that did not teach, show, and demonstrate the message Jesus came to share. And certainly not the painful parts … the life of Christ had to be exactly every bit as bitter sweet as it was … to achieve its purpose.
Jesus, like all of us, came to live out his story – a seemingly very painful story on so many levels – but unlike most of the rest of us, Jesus lived out his story with intention and purpose. He knew that his life was as it was orchestrated to be, and he pointed that out again and again to his disciples and followers – that he was here to bring salvation by demonstrating his own salvation from death.
He was not in resistance to the happenings of his life. He knew all along the road he was walking down and where it would lead … or so we are told – yet that did not stop him from loving Judas, the man who betrayed him – Where might the story of Christ be today, if over two thousand years ago, Judas had refused to play his part? A betrayer was necessary.
Think about it; what would be different about the quality of our own life, if we were able to accept, as Christ did, that the unruly people, the betrayers, usurpers and all of those people in our life that don't “act right” or “treat us right,” as those who love us by playing the painful roles in our unfolding drama of our life story?
Afterall, how can we play out the whole drama of our life story without these contrasting roles? Are they not as important as those who openly support and love us, in terms of how they “enlighten” us about what we DON'T want?! Doesn't the contrasting role these provocateurs play teach us more about what we DO want instead?
What would we know about resurrection and new life, if Judas had not played his part to set Jesus up for the crucifixion? For me, the revelation through Christ that rebirth/resurrection is on the other side of Death – was a big point that Christ came to demonstrate. He did not come to show us how to live according to the world's idea of a successful life. He came to demonstrate that life is story, and cannot destroy us at all!
Isn't it interesting that we, as Christians, have gotten more focused on what was done TO Jesus – i.e. the “betrayal,” rather than what He modeled FOR us about death and rebirth. Talk about demonstrating that Death does not exist! He did that! Why is it that we don't talk about THAT?
I like to practice seeing my life through a non-judgmental lens that focuses instead upon the purposeful teaching, and revelation that comes to me through things unfolding exactly the way they do in my life story. I like to see my life as happening exactly the way it needs to happen for me to attain the higher understanding of who I am above and beyond my limited story.
Let's practice together this opportunity to meet life with the question, “How does even this painful life event that I am experiencing in life be something that is FOR me, for my remembering to see the difference between what is real and what is not … Nothing is wasted … nothing … at all.