A new Spiritual Paradigm

Jesus began his ministry introducing a new spiritual paradigm ... 

This is a line from a book I'm re-reading - Sacred Contracts by Caroline Myss

It got me to thinking

It's so very true

Jesus came and turned ministry on it's ear and told those practicing at the time they were doing it wrong...what good is it to follow the letter of the law if you miss the intent?

He 'called out' the Pharisees and the Sadducee and told them there was more to their beliefs than just the laws...what good is it to follow the letter of the law if you miss the intent?

He encouraged compassion and love and inclusion

He ate with tax collectors and prostitutes

He and his band of disciples were probably a rather motley crew...traveling from place to place on foot or by boat

ne'er stopping for a haircut or a daily shower and always living off a hand out or the generosity of those he visited...it wasn't until well into his ministry that he fed the 5,000.

He challenged their thinking...in return some of his followers left, some of them betrayed him...but some of them continued to follow.

Then...he challenged them more

just as he was preparing to leave them...he told them to spread the news, share the Gospel...with everyone

even the (gasp) Gentiles

What would that look like today

The last thing any self respecting Jew in Jesus' day would do is associate with Gentiles

eat with them, share with them...NO

They were different, they were dirty,  they were disrespectful in a nutshell...they were hated

Who would that be today?

Jesus began his ministry introducing a new spiritual paradigm  every bit as important as that initiated by Abraham 2000 years earlier.

If Jesus began his ministry today, introducing a new spiritual paradigm...just as he shifted the thinking of the laws of the old testament...how would he present his Way today?

The last thing any self-respecting Christian would do today is associate with...

Who does that look like for you?

Black? Hispanic? White? Gay? Lesbian? Transgender? Male? Female? Muslim? Buddhist? Atheist? Agnostic?

Aryan? 

If scholars interpret so many of Jesus' words to have such breadth and depth of meaning...why not the use of the word Gentiles when speaking with the Jews

What if he was saying...share the word and include everyone...even those you don't think are deserving...because I want everyone ...everyone is worthy...everyone is good.