As you look at these pictures (the two on the right are from this artist, the one on the left is my wife’s painting based a picture she was shown), what’s your reaction?
I’m curious, because the two on the left were included in a forward I saw which stated that they’d never seen much art with Jesus laughing. That’s kind of interesting because it goes to our understanding of Jesus. Is he the stern teacher? The resolute, but sorrowful savior? The righteous one? When you think of Jesus how do you picture him? When you read the stories of the Gospels, do you see him smiling? When you pray to him, what’s he look like?
It’s good to see all sides of Jesus, but we definitely want to keep this side within our framework- the Jesus who was real man, who did laugh and joke, who did welcome the little children, who did have friends, and who even calls us friends.
