The Toughest Man Ever.

Being tough, [sorry "tuff" is more manly] is something men generally love to be. Or at least we think it's cool. You know-- Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, MMA fighters and all that sort of stuff. Remember the old kid talk like--"My dad can beat up your dad cause' my dad is an auto mechanic but your dad just works in an office!"  There is something inside us men that makes us want to be "real" men. I mean who doesn't want to own a tractor and go tear up some ground or run over stuff with a monster truck?

But years ago I came to realize something--Jesus is the tuffest man that ever lived! Jesus has what I call eternal tuffness or perfect strength. We fallen humans like to believe that our physical dominance over someone else makes us tuff. But it just ain't true. It actually makes us delusional wimps!!

Think about all the pain and suffering that Jesus endured. It is beyond comprehension! Beaten, punched, spit on, pierced, thorned, and the list goes on and on. Yet He never even lashed out in action or word.  How could He endure such pain first of all? And then without lashing back?? The answer is that Jesus was a real man.  Eternal tuffness and perfect strength. [Love]


Let's think of the differences between Jesus' tuffness and ours---

Ours brings us earthly glory. It feeds our manly pride. But His points people to God!
Ours fades out as we grow older and more frail. His never fades!
Ours ends when we die. His is eternal--it lasts forever!
Ours makes us seem cool now. His brings eternal treasure!
Ours degrades others. His builds others up!
The list could go on and on but the fact is that we have been blinded by our own abilities. We have limited ourselves to what we can accomplish. Meanwhile this eternal tuffness that Jesus displayed is available.

Here's some most awesome truth--We can see that same tuffness and strength displayed in Paul and other believers in the New Testament and beyond!  So we see that this perfect power is available to us! You can be the skinniest wimpiest person ever but through the power of the Holy Spirit you can have this same eternal tuffness!  How awesome is that?
Think of how Paul was beaten and stoned and all sorts of things but by the power of Jesus he pushed on!!

Someday everyone will stand in front of God for judgment and at that time everyones earthly minds will be gone. The delusions of sin will blind us no more. We will see clearly. Then every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Then we will all know that our tuffness was nothing. How sad it would be to see Jesus in all His glory but then be sent away. To realize that you wasted your eternity on a few moments of worthless pleasure and pride.

Not me. I know that I am a weak human in need of God's strength and forgiveness. And I know that I don't want to be a spiritual sissy. And I know that by the power of Jesus I am eternally tuff. As Paul said--"His power is made perfect in weakness."