Collection: Jesus

For me the marvel of Christmas is not only that the Savior has finally come. It's also the way He did it. He could have come with trumpets and fanfare and glory. Instead, the King of the Universe set aside His privileges and power and became a puny human being. He started as a helpless baby who needed to be fed and to have his diaper changed. As He grew He endured hunger and thirst, sweat and exhaustion, temptation and struggle. He shunned wealth and privilege and never demanded His rights. Though He was innocent and powerful He allowed Himself to be tortured and mocked and crucified like a criminal in order to rescue rebellious sinners who hated Him. We are called to imitate His great humility. "You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:43-45)
C.S. Lewis wrote, “A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is.” Whether it’s overeating or smoking or porn or anger or drunkenness or jealousy or anxiety or bitterness, everyone has sinful tendencies they wish they could conquer. I have found that to be achingly true in my life. When the pressure is on and I want very badly to do something I know I shouldn’t, too often I rationalize and tell myself, “I tried resisting and it’s just too hard. God will understand.” Time and time again I have been weak and buckled when I should have been strong. Then, after the clouds have lifted, I think back on the cross and remember that Jesus not only stayed faithful right up to the end, but He promises to help me stay faithful too (Hebrews 4:14-16). So I tell myself I’ll do better next time, ask for forgiveness, and wait to try again. I made this cartoon mainly for myself, as a tangible reminder to keep trying and to not give up. If it encourages someone else, that’s a bonus.