The Perfect Rabbi

I love reading books that were written to inspire and encourage people. The kind of books that teach you things, that intrigue you to explore new topics, and to shake up your thoughts a little. One book in particular is a book called "Velvet Elvis" by Rob Bell. He writes about his thoughts on Christianity, what he believes it means to live out what Jesus taught was possible for life, and to just share what loving Jesus means to him. He also writes about different ways he receives Scripture... what verses mean, the time and places they were written in, the way the people must have felt when they were writing them. One thing he touched upon really struck me and it's this:
I know that without a doubt in my mind that Jesus loves me more than I could ever think or imagine! But here's what Rob Bell taught me.
Back in the day, kids would go to rabbi school to learn how to become a rabbi. The ones that were doing well and on the right path to becoming a rabbi graduated to a different schooling and this continued as long as they proved that they were the best of the best. Eventually they would have the opportunity to follow a rabbi and learn his ways... this was called taking up the rabbi's yoke. The rabbi would question the boy about his knowledge of the Torah and all that he learned through years of rabbi schooling. If the rabbi thought the boy had potential, he would say, "Come, follow me." If the boy wasn't the best of the best and the rabbi felt the boy was incapable of doing what he did then the boy would go on to his other option which was to carry out the family business.
Jesus changed all the rules. Jesus goes to pick his disciples and instead of picking the best of the best, the ones who the most knowledgeable and well-prepared like all the other rabbis, Jesus picked the ones who failed. He picked the ones who were just carrying out their family business, who thought that they had no chance of being the best of the best, to just carry out their only other option. But Jesus tells them, "Come, follow me." Rob Bell talks about how Matthew must have felt when a rabbi tells him to drop what he's doing and follow Him. Jesus telling his disciples that was like him saying "You're capable of doing this. You're capable of achieving whatever you set your mind to. You don't have to be the best. You can be a failure to other people, but I love you. And I have faith that you can do this. Follow me. Be like me because I believe you can be."
He's saying this to you and me. And a lot of us I think are thinking that Jesus is this typical rabbi dude who only wants the best of the best. The people who pray to Him everyday and who read their Bibles everyday and who never curse or get angry. No! Jesus picks us! The failures, the screw-ups, the completely imperfect people to BE LIKE HIM. He calls us to take up His yoke because He believes that we are far more capable of anything that we think we could ever be capable of. He has a huge amount of faith in us. We don't have to be perfect, He doesn't want us to be perfect. He says "COME AS YOU ARE!" And try! He says to love Him and love others and all that other stuff, that stuff that you think you're doing all wrong and that you think Jesus would be so angry about, that all just fades away and you start realizing the incredible, powerful, joyful love that comes with the real love of Jesus.

Father God thank you so much for your true love that's real to every person! The person who has been extremely successful by human standards and the person who is living on the streets addicted to drugs because WE KNOW that you love us all and that you have faith in ALL of us! Thank you Father for a grace far beyond what we could even comprehend and for blowing us away with your truth and outstanding love. You are perfect and holy and we are so honored that you call us your sons and daughters. We love you Daddy, Amen.