Sad Jesus

I like this picture of Jesus.  I think it may be my favorite depiction of Jesus I've come across.  It has grown on me.  A lot.

My mom bought this Stan Miller print for me.  Then she had it professionally framed.  It's beautifully done.  But, when she first gave the print to me, I was a bit confused.  I didn't like it at all.

Ummm . . . hello . . ? . . Jesus is not smiling in this picture!

It seemed depressing.  Why would I want this on my wall?

Ummm.  Thanks, Mom.


But then.

          Years passed.

     And this interpretation of Jesus became a close friend.  A companion when I didn't feel like smiling either.


A dear friend once told me, "Smile when you're happy.

                                                                                That's good enough."

That is good enough.  Isn't it?


     Life isn't all bunnies and rainbows.

            Sometimes there is sorrow (and grief and loneliness and unhappiness and anger and ... and... and...)


And always, there is our Savior.

Our Savior Jesus.

Whether we are smiling or crying  . . . whether we are spinning circles in Joy . . . or crumpled on the floor.

He is there.


Thanks, Mom.

For reals this time.


A quote from Stressed-Less Living by Tracie Miles:
"When most people think of Jesus . . . they usually visualize him as a peaceful person living a peaceful life.  Thanks to infinite paintings dating back hundreds of years depicting Jesus as a soft-hearted, gentle-looking, bearded man, it is easy to falsely believe he never really had to deal with stress. These paintings often show [Jesus] ... quietly gazing off with a serene look on his face or praying peacefully to the heavens on bended knee with his hands folded across his chest or sitting happily under a tree with smiling children perched on his lap.  Although Jesus is the Prince of Peace ... his life was a far cry from being stress-free.  ... Jesus knew full well what it meant to have peace despite stressful circumstances."  --pages 55-56