Hope

Hope - He Gets Us

We were looking at the life of Jesus to see who he really was, and we noticed something peculiar: he spent a lot of time around the dinner table. Many of his most frequently quoted messages and standout stories happened while sharing a meal with others. As we looked closer, we noticed that his company around the table was a remarkably diverse cast. He shared meals with outcasts. He spent time with the self-righteous religious elite. He cared for people who had broken every rule and were seen as unclean. He dined at the tables of the wealthy men whose riches were won with lies and corruption. Some of those men gave up comfortable lifestyles to follow him. He crossed racial boundaries to the shock of many around him. He invited everyone to the table. When asked why he did so, he replied, “… I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.&#8221;
It was radical at the time. No one was that inclusive. The religious do-gooders began to whisper behind his back. They called him a friend of sinners. It was supposed to be an insult, but Jesus wore it proudly. He was a friend to everyone. And what do friends do? They eat dinner together and share in each other’s lives.
Strangers eating together and becoming friends. What a simple concept, and yet, we’re pretty sure it would turn our own modern world upside down the same way Jesus turned his around 2,000 years ago. That’s really why we made this video in the first place. We see division and broken relationships everywhere. We see judgment and hypocrisy on the rise. We see people who claim to be followers of Jesus taking his open invite and turning it into an exclusive club.
The name of Jesus has been used to harm and divide, but if you look at how he lived, you see how backward that really is. Jesus was not exclusive. He was radically inclusive. What would our world look like if that were the norm? If strangers became friends over the dinner table as they did around Jesus?
Scripture References: Mark 2:13-17, Luke 19:1-10, Matthew 9:36-38, Luke 5:31-32

Jesus invited everyone to sit at his table

Jesus saw beauty in others even when they couldn’t see it in themselves. This is why he chose people who were deemed uneducated, illiterate and troubled to spread his message of radical love. Jesus saw potential in them that wasn’t obvious on the surface. He looked deeper and saw that his chosen were like mounds of clay that could be sculpted, with love and patience, into fine works of art.

Jesus valued potential, not perfection.

Everyone knows someone who can spin a yarn. At gatherings, they capture the attention of those within earshot and never let go until the fish is caught, the lost item is found, or someone is saved from complete disaster. There is a smile in this storyteller’s voice, a way about their words. And their stories get passed down and around until they become nothing short of family lore.
On a larger scale and in much the same way, history’s best storytellers and their stories endure. Homer’s poetry. Shakespeare’s plays. And yes, Jesus’ parables. It’s likely — whether you’re familiar with Jesus’ personal story or not — that you’ve heard a few of his narratives. Perhaps it’s “The Prodigal Son” or “The Good Samaritan”? Even if those titles don’t ring a bell, you’ve probably heard their retellings. Because we haven’t let these stories go. Jesus captured our attention with them.
During his time, it’s obvious he captured the attention of his immediate audience, too. He was known to draw a crowd whenever he spoke, whether walking outside or sitting around the dinner table. And you can imagine the joy in his voice when he spoke about a shepherd finding his lost sheep or a father welcoming back his wayward son.
Jesus’s stories were — and still are — compelling.
But like all good stories with staying power, they do more than entertain. They hold meaning. That’s what gives stories their value. Some call Jesus’ stories “logos,” which simply translates to “word,” but we all know words must be put in the right order to amount to anything. And Jesus ordered his words with purpose, pointing to the truth about wisdom, discernment, and love. When we see this “logos” in any story — from Jesus’ parables to our favorite fairy tales, from popular movies to the news — we recognize it. It resonates when goodness prevails. And this goodness is what holds us all together. It’s part of our shared human experience.
This is why we can still look to Jesus’ stories and use them as reference points. It turns out, things haven’t changed that much. Humans are still humans, and the world still runs on stories. And Jesus told some of the best of them. 
___
Did you know Jesus told nearly 40 parables?
There are so many to discover, but here are the few mentioned above:
Parable of the Prodigal Son: Luke 15:11-32 
Parable of the Lost Sheep: Matthew 18:10-14 
Parable of the Good Samaritan: Luke 10:25-37

Jesus, the storyteller.

Struggle

If someone asked you if you’d like to be rich, the answer for many of us would be, “Of course.” Our society glorifies the wealthy and their expensive things. We imagine our lives would be easier or more glamorous if we had gobs of money. So, we asked random people on the street if they were rich. Their initial reactions were based on their bank account balances or the size of their homes, but upon further reflection, most of them began to recognize that they were rich in other ways –– a wealth that comes from within. Could Jesus, a man with few material possessions, be considered rich? We hope you’ll explore deeper what it means to be rich in the way Jesus taught in <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://hegetsus.com/en/articles/the-rich-life">The Rich Life</a>.

Do you want to be rich?

What if we told you that if Jesus had been born today, he would be from the sticks? The so-called boonies? A remote area that has a reputation of producing no one of prestige or education? The wrong side of the tracks? It may seem odd to think of Jesus this way, but it’s true. In Scripture, a conversation between two brothers, Phillip and Nathanial, provides context. One day Phillip met Jesus, heard his teachings, and felt his love. He was excited and went to share the good news with his brother, who replied, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
At the time of his birth, Jesus’ family was forced to flee Nazareth for Egypt after King Herod decreed that all children under the age of two be killed. Yes, Jesus was a refugee, and the people of his hometown were not wealthy or elite by any means. No one expected anything positive or prominent to come from there, let alone someone who would change the world forever.
Over two thousand years later, not much has changed. All we need do is turn on our televisions and observe how the media describes immigrants and refugees. They are often branded as invasive and disruptive, with their reasons for migrating and positive contributions muted. But why?
The answer lies, in part, within the concept of unconscious bias &#8211; we may not know an individual, but because of where they are from, the color of their skin, or what they are wearing,  we make judgments about them.
I was drawn to write this piece because I intimately understand the feeling of being dismissed because of where you come from. Unlike Jesus, I am not from the sticks, yet I, too, have judged because of where I came from. You see, back in middle school, I was the new black kid who moved from the looming city to the developing suburb. That gave the other kids a false narrative of how they thought I should be. Faster. Aggressive. Disruptive. Bold. In their minds, I wasn’t allowed to exist as I was because I looked a certain way and came from a side of town that mandated otherwise.
Jesus too faced stereotypes based on society’s ideas about who he should be. That’s why his persecutors inscribed “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” on the cross at his crucifixion. This was their attempt to mock him because how could a mere man from a small, forgettable town ever hold any power or authority? Perhaps others’ perception of him would have been different had he been born into a wealthy family in an area of prestige.
Jesus made a point to reach out to those who were judged because of their birthplace or circumstance. He spoke to Samaritans, the ethnic enemies of the Jewish people. He went out of his way to uplift lepers, who had been outcast by their communities. He conversed with women, who had little to no political power or social authority. He did so out of love, but he was able to do it so well because he had experienced similar dismissal.
Jesus provided an example of the powerful change that comes when we choose to overlook shallow demographics and focus our intent on truly understanding someone. How can we be more like Phillip, ignoring social hierarchy and judging not based on where someone comes from but solely on the content of their heart?
Scripture Reference: John 1:45-46

Jesus overcame bias, too.

The video “The Struggle” drew me in with its imagery and then presented me with the idea that Jesus struggled financially. And he’s just like us. Huh. It stops even someone like me in my tracks thinking about it. No request for money. No expectation for me to change. No expectation to do anything except consider that Jesus struggled just like me. Just like most of us.
It’s not the typical message, and it is anything but ordinary. The idea that Jesus is just like me, as opposed to the message that I need to change to become more like him, is extraordinary to me. It completely transforms my thought process around Jesus. It allows me to separate the idea of Jesus from the idea of religion. I’m immediately skeptical of any religious message. But this message doesn’t come with a request or any action item.
As someone who instantly becomes defensive and skeptical when religion is introduced into any conversation, I think that the whole notion that Jesus is like me, and therefore meets me where I am — has been where I am — without any expectation of reciprocity (or paying) to meet him, is a completely different message than any other I have heard before. It was the first time that I can recall knowingly receiving a religious message where I did not immediately tune it out.
If there is any hope in our world right now, it is that people will act with compassion, mercy, and love — all attributes that are often associated with Jesus, even by those who may not believe.
Scripture References: Matthew 8:20

Did Jesus really struggle as I do?

Love

<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-880" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveHeadlines-01.png" alt="" width="3750" height="261" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveHeadlines-01.png 3750w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveHeadlines-01-300x21.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveHeadlines-01-1200x84.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveHeadlines-01-768x53.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveHeadlines-01-1536x107.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveHeadlines-01-2048x143.png 2048w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveHeadlines-01-1400x97.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 3750px) 100vw, 3750px" />
Artificial intelligence has captured much of the world’s attention in recent months. ChatGPT, DALL-E, Midjourney—these tools have all made quite the splash. Some of us have adopted them with open arms looking for ways to make things more efficient, some of us have kept them at an arm’s length, weary of the ethicality of it all.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-885" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-9.png" alt="" width="1800" height="750" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-9.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-9-300x125.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-9-1188x495.png 1188w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-9-768x320.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-9-1536x640.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-9-1200x500.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-9-1400x583.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" />
We’re personally still trying to make sense of where AI fits and how it can and should be used, but we figured we’d try to take some cues from Jesus. It struck us, Jesus used the tools available to him in redemptive ways. Roman roads were built by occupiers to move armies—Jesus used them to travel far and wide sharing his message. A simple boat built for fishing—Jesus used it as a platform from which to speak. Twelve ragtag, ordinary people with messy pasts—Jesus placed them at the center of the work he was doing. Jesus was less interested in what the world said about a person or thing and more about how it could show the kind of love he was interested in. So this video was our attempt to do the same. Whether AI is messy, confusing, harmless, or not, how could we use it to talk about the kind of love Jesus talked about?
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-881" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveHeadlines-02.png" alt="" width="3750" height="261" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveHeadlines-02.png 3750w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveHeadlines-02-300x21.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveHeadlines-02-1200x84.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveHeadlines-02-768x53.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveHeadlines-02-1536x107.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveHeadlines-02-2048x143.png 2048w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveHeadlines-02-1400x97.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 3750px) 100vw, 3750px" />
We started by asking an artificial intelligence image generator to show us pictures of “love.” Just a one-word prompt. The results were very abstract, flowery, and fake. At first, we were disappointed in the AI, but then we realized the AI is trained on real images out in the real world — if the AI’s depiction of love feels fake, it’s because fake love is what we’ve shown it. So, we regrouped and tried something else. We gave the AI text prompts that were simply Jesus’ own words describing love. We were floored by the results. Not because they’re perfect—some of the images are admittedly haunting, others a bit surreal, but they are all reflective of a deeper, more real love than what we got out of the AI before—a love that is active, selfless, and difficult.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-882" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveQuote2.png" alt="" width="3750" height="1985" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveQuote2.png 3750w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveQuote2-300x159.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveQuote2-935x495.png 935w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveQuote2-768x407.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveQuote2-1536x813.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveQuote2-2048x1084.png 2048w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveQuote2-1200x635.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AILoveQuote2-1400x741.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 3750px) 100vw, 3750px" />
You see Jesus didn’t just love his friends and family. He loved the sick, the poor, the people he knew wouldn’t love him back, he even loved the people who tortured and killed him. He loved them all at their best and at their worst. That kind of love is complex and hard to fathom, impossible to fully capture in 1 picture or 1000, but still he lived it out.
We’re still not sure what to think of all this new AI stuff, but for us, visualizing Jesus’ love in comparison to the commercialized, fluffy, romantic love we’re inundated with was a confirmation that what Jesus spoke about and lived out is worth emulating.
*All the images shown were created using Midjourney. All text prompts shown are the real text prompts used for each corresponding image.
Scripture References for image prompts: John 21:15-17; Matthew 25:34-40; Mark 2:13-17; Luke 10:25-37; John 15:13

How does artificial intelligence imagine Jesus’ love?

<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-672" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline1-1.png" alt="" width="1800" height="225" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline1-1.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline1-1-300x38.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline1-1-1200x150.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline1-1-768x96.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline1-1-1536x192.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline1-1-1400x175.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" />
Everybody would come running and form a circle of excited spectators. We didn’t care about the cause of the conflict or worry about the people involved. We just wanted to see the drama unfold. And it was almost like drawing the crowd made the escalation of the conflict even more inevitable. It occurred to us that our current climate of cultural conflict can make it feel like we’re all back in grade school again, watching the fight.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-696" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image1-1-1.png" alt="" width="1800" height="975" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image1-1-1.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image1-1-1-300x163.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image1-1-1-914x495.png 914w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image1-1-1-768x416.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image1-1-1-1536x832.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image1-1-1-1200x650.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image1-1-1-1400x758.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" /></figure>



Don’t get us wrong. Conflict can be healthy. Expressing outrage at injustices, being a voice for the voiceless, and boldly representing your values and identity are important parts of the human experience. Jesus did all these things. But how often do our conflicts devolve from a dignified defense to a dehumanizing hate for others? And how often do we just consume conflict that really has nothing to do with values and everything to do with our guilty pleasure of hateful content, just like a grade school fight? 





<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-676 size-full" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image2.png" alt="" width="1800" height="1425" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image2.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image2-300x238.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image2-625x495.png 625w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image2-768x608.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image2-1536x1216.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image2-1200x950.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image2-1400x1108.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" /> We stop our scroll to watch a video of people screaming at or getting physical with a customer service agent or a fast-food worker. We tune in to watch two political pundits tear each other apart on cable news. We like and share insulting jokes on social media made at the expense of those who think differently than us. We turn an unfortunate incident in a person&#8217;s life into a meme for people to mock them.  <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-673 size-full" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline2-1.png" alt="" width="1800" height="225" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline2-1.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline2-1-300x38.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline2-1-1200x150.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline2-1-768x96.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline2-1-1536x192.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline2-1-1400x175.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" />





And we love to pick a side. We identify with the reasonable neighbor dealing with the nosey troublemaker next door. We doomscroll opposing takes on trending topics that we know will only serve to make us angry. It’s like many of us are addicted to the fight. And it seems that the evolution of technology and media has created an arena that fuels the addiction — like those hateful images, videos, and stories — and ideas are louder than anything else we consume. But why?  <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-677" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-7.png" alt="" width="1800" height="1200" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-7.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-7-300x200.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-7-743x495.png 743w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-7-768x512.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-7-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-7-600x400.png 600w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-7-1200x800.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-7-1400x933.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" />



Most media have a simple goal: Create content that will build an audience and sell that audience to advertisers. Newspaper publishers used to say, “If it bleeds, it leads,” because stories about violent crimes and conflicts often found their way to the front page, stoking the reader’s emotions and selling more papers. Now social media makes all of us partners in that emotional manipulation. The loudest and most charged content tends to get the most comments, likes, and shares. And as giant publicly traded media and tech companies feel the pressure to provide more shareholder value, they find ways to keep us consuming. And nothing keeps an audience engaged like turning up the volume on conflict. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-678 size-full" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-5.png" alt="" width="1800" height="800" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-5.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-5-300x133.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-5-1114x495.png 1114w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-5-768x341.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-5-1536x683.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-5-1200x533.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-5-1400x622.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" /></figure>
Pitting us in ideological battles, amplifying hateful moments and stories in all of humanity all of the time — it is a great way to build an audience and sell ads. It’s also an effective way to make people feel angry, isolated, anxious, and distrustful of others. And, just like a slot machine, our social apps reward the pleasure centers in our brains with likes, shares, and comments when we participate — commenting on that divisive video or sharing that snarky meme. It’s systemic. It’s diabolical. And it works.  <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-679 size-full" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-3-5.png" alt="" width="1800" height="1200" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-3-5.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-3-5-300x200.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-3-5-743x495.png 743w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-3-5-768x512.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-3-5-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-3-5-600x400.png 600w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-3-5-1200x800.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-3-5-1400x933.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" /> So what could possibly be louder and more powerful than hate? Love can. But not just any love. Confounding love. Unconditional love. Sacrificial love. The love we see in Jesus. This shocking and even revolutionary figure — who challenged the status quo of his time, who spoke out against the religious and political leaders of his day, who advocated for the marginalized and oppressed, but who always, always, always loved others despite their identity, beliefs, or values. Jesus showed us the path to human flourishing and fulfillment was to love others as oneself, even if it costs you your life. <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-674 size-full" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline3.png" alt="" width="1800" height="110" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline3.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline3-300x18.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline3-1200x73.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline3-768x47.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline3-1536x94.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline3-1400x86.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" /> How would it change the tenor of our conflicts and our conversations? What would the world look like if we all resisted the temptation to defend our self-interest at all costs and loudly proclaimed together that the love for others, the compassion for another’s lived experience, the empathy for their position, and the respect for their dignity were the most important values we all could hold? That’s a hard ask, seemingly impossible. But He Gets Us invites people to explore the story, teachings, and mission of one who lived that way. No matter what you believe about God or Christianity, consider this: What might we learn today from a person like that?

Jesus loved the people we hate.

<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-652 size-full" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-1-3.png" alt="" width="1800" height="150" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-1-3.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-1-3-300x25.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-1-3-1200x100.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-1-3-768x64.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-1-3-1536x128.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-1-3-1400x117.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" />
The commercial you just saw describes a theme we noticed in Jesus’ teachings. Jesus didn’t want us to act like adults. It’s a simple line that is loaded with misdirection — just like Jesus’ teachings often were. On multiple occasions, Jesus used the term “childlike” to refer to a humble and trusting attitude. In one instance, he told a group of followers, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” — the Christian notion of ultimate eternal life and fulfillment. This was a very countercultural message that challenged the values of those who heard him. In his culture, children were not regarded the same way they are today. They were loved by their family, to be certain, but according to many scholars, about a third of children didn’t survive to age 14. Consequently, society treated children more like property than people. So what did he mean? 
Christians often refer to their faith as childlike, being humble enough to place one’s trust in a power greater than self. And Jesus’ example of humility and trust taught us something about relationships — something we believe has the power to change our culture. 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-653 size-full" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-2-4.png" alt="" width="1800" height="150" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-2-4.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-2-4-300x25.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-2-4-1200x100.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-2-4-768x64.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-2-4-1536x128.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-2-4-1400x117.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" />
Jesus loved people fully and wanted them to accept his love void of the cynicism that creeps into just about every human relationship over time. And in turn, he was never cynical about people. He always loved, always forgave, and, like a child who’d never experienced the disappointments, betrayals, and selfish ambitions present in just about every human relationship, he always believed that other people would be capable of loving each other the same way. He even forgave the people who killed him as they were in the process of killing him. 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-655 size-full" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image-1.png" alt="" width="1800" height="1374" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image-1.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image-1-300x229.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image-1-648x495.png 648w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image-1-768x586.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image-1-1536x1172.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image-1-1200x916.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image-1-1400x1069.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" />
That idea got us thinking about the difference between childishness and being childlike. In other parts of Scripture, the Bible seems to call into contrast these two notions — being childlike is good, but being childish is not. In a culture that values children highly, we often think of acting childishly as being thoughtless or even selfish. On the other hand, children’s innocence makes them capable of demonstrating the kind of compassion, love, and forgiveness that many of us cannot experience ourselves anymore. And when you look at the current climate of our cultural conflict through that lens, we see an unflattering observation. 
When it comes to conflict, there are two directions most of us choose from. Some of us just try to avoid conflict at all costs. We keep our opinions to ourselves, and we stay silent when it comes to our convictions. No politics. No religion. Let’s not talk about anything controversial. That’s often considered to be very adult. And some of us act childishly. From angry or snarky social media posts to political differences causing family estrangement to treating those who disagree with us with loud public contempt — participating in cultural conflict has a tendency to bring out the worst in many of us. But if we’re honest, most of us do both of these things in different moments. 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-657 size-full" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-5.png" alt="" width="1800" height="1200" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-5.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-5-300x200.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-5-743x495.png 743w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-5-768x512.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-5-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-5-600x400.png 600w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-5-1200x800.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-5-1400x933.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" />
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-654 size-full" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-3.png" alt="" width="1800" height="150" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-3.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-3-300x25.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-3-1200x100.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-3-768x64.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-3-1536x128.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-3-1400x117.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" />
Jesus didn’t choose either of these paths. Jesus chose a third way. He was very vocal about what he believed. He spoke truth to power, defended the poor and the marginalized, and represented his identity to others consistently. But he also did something confounding. He approached everyone with unending grace, unconditional love, and that seemingly irrational capacity for compassion, generosity, and forgiveness.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-694" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image-2-2.png" alt="" width="1800" height="953" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image-2-2.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image-2-2-300x159.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image-2-2-935x495.png 935w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image-2-2-768x407.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image-2-2-1536x813.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image-2-2-1200x635.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image-2-2-1400x741.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" />
His story demonstrates that we are capable of rediscovering that childlike way — to embrace the qualities of innocence, openness, and trust and to let go of our egos and pride. Jesus taught that fulfillment belongs to people who can trust God with childlike faith and also represent their convictions and beliefs without ever losing their confounding love and respect for another person’s dignity. And we are fascinated by this third way. If you’d like to learn more about what Jesus taught, explore the links below to find a few places to start.

Jesus didn’t want us to act like adults.

Judgment

When holding onto anger was most justified, Jesus forgave, and he called us to do the same. We’ve compiled some of our favorite stories here as a testament to the power of forgiveness not just in the lives of the ones being forgiven but in the lives of the ones doing the forgiving as well. It seems Jesus might’ve been onto something.

How to forgive like Jesus did.

We were musing about how Jesus and his disciples were viewed in his day. If the authorities or religious leaders saw them walking down the street or hanging out on the corner, what would they have thought of them? It suddenly hit us. They would’ve been seen as troublemakers. And Jesus was their ringleader.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-938" src="https://newstaging2stg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/JudgedQuote-01-2.png" alt="" width="3750" height="2796" />
Matthew, one of his followers, was a Jew who formerly collected taxes for the Romans. In essence, he was seen as a lowlife traitor. Some disciples violently opposed Herod, the King. Others were seen as uneducated dropouts. They were labeled and called many harsh things. But more importantly, they were seen as a threat to the establishment, which meant the people in power and the upper classes didn’t want them in their neighborhoods or synagogues.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-939" src="https://newstaging2stg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/JudgedQuote-02-2.png" alt="" width="3750" height="2577" />
It’s no different today. If we see youths of a different race or culture dressed a certain way or wearing their hair differently, we often make immediate judgments about them. Usually negative ones. It might make us uncomfortable or even unfriendly toward them. It’s an unconscious bias we all have towards people who are different from us. We don’t know the individual, yet we’ve already labeled them.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-940" src="https://newstaging2stg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/JudgedQuote-03-2.png" alt="" width="1800" height="750" />
Jesus didn’t judge others by their looks. He looked at their hearts. That meant reaching out to people who were outside his circle or society’s mainstream to get to know them individually. He was criticized, even mocked, for doing so, but he didn’t care because he loved all, even if it meant he would be wrongly judged for the friends he made and the company he kept.
One of the interesting things that happened while we were producing this was the casting. We wanted to use people that we thought would immediately elicit judgment from others. You’ll see that nobody is doing anything wrong or illegal. Maybe they’re running down an alley, skateboarding, hanging out on a corner, or hopping a fence, but viewers have been conditioned by society to make assumptions that they’re up to no good. Probably doing something illegal or criminal.
It was very intentional to point out the unconscious bias we all have and that we need to overcome if we’re going to build trust, love, and peace with each other.
Scripture References: Matthew 11:19, Luke 5:29-32, Luke 6:6-11

How would Jesus be judged today?

<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-988" src="https://newstaging2stg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/JudgmentalHeadlines-01.png" alt="" width="3750" height="261" />There’s this Scripture that kind of trips us up. Whether you’re a Bible reader or not, you’re probably familiar with it. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Matthew 7:1. Jesus says this toward the end of one of his most famous sermons. He was calling out the hypocrisy of pointing out the faults in others when we have our own faults we should be working on.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-991" src="https://newstaging2stg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/JudgmentQuote1.png" alt="" width="3750" height="2255" />
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-989" src="https://newstaging2stg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/JudgmentalHeadlines-02.png" alt="" width="3750" height="261" />Truthfully, we must make judgments about people almost every day. When applying for a job, do I want to work for this person? When meeting someone I’m attracted to, should I ask them out on a date? When I need to confide in someone, who do I trust as a friend? Just spend a couple of minutes online, and we realize our entire world is now based on reviews. From doctors to hotels, restaurants to dog walkers, many businesses live or die by the number of stars by their name.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-992" src="https://newstaging2stg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Quote-2-2.png" alt="" width="1800" height="750" />Honest evaluation, however, is different from the judgment Jesus was speaking of. Honest evaluation of others is necessary for a safe and functioning society. The judging Jesus refers to comes from a different place. It comes from our ego. We’re often seeking to elevate ourselves by belittling someone else. Or we try to justify our own bad behavior by labeling somebody else’s behavior as worse. Sometimes, biases and grudges affect how we view and treat others.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-993" src="https://newstaging2stg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Quote-3.png" alt="" width="1800" height="1200" />With that in mind, Jesus asked us to stop pinpointing the shortcomings of others and to look inwardly and deeply examine our own hearts and motives. It’s not comfortable. But here’s why it’s so important. Jesus knew that if we focused on our own faults and weaknesses, we could become more empathetic toward others. We’d recognize that, like us, every person has challenges and struggles that we can relate to. And that’s how Jesus’ radical love is demonstrated today. By recognizing our own flaws, we can all become a little more merciful, a little more patient, and a little more loving toward one another.
Scripture Reference: Matthew 7:1; Luke 6:37; John 7:24

Can I judge without being judgmental?

Activist

We’ve created a lot of ads and messages about Jesus and women’s equality. Mostly because research has uncovered a lot of misconceptions out there regarding Jesus and how he thought about and treated women. It seems some cultural and religious traditions and norms have been conflated with the actual story of Jesus from the Bible (the most comprehensive record of Jesus’ life we have). So let’s explore four ways Jesus promoted women’s equality.
1.) GENEALOGY. Before he was even born. 
The Gospels are four different accounts of Jesus’ life written by four of his followers. The first one that appears in most Bibles is written by Matthew. He starts his story the same way many biographical books began back then — by tracing Jesus’ genealogy.
If you’ve ever read the Bible or other ancient Near Eastern texts, you’ll see this pattern of tracing family trees: “so-and-so begat so-and-so, who begat so-and-so, etc.” We often skip these dry and boring sections of the text. But the genealogies in the Bible and similar ancient texts were less about historical records and more about proving a point about a person’s heritage or their claims to royalty or fortune.
Matthew includes a few clues in the genealogy that help us understand how Jesus thought about gender equality. He includes five women. That would have been very strange for the time. Stranger still are the women he chose to include as Jesus’ ancestors.
Tamar: A woman who pretended to be a sex worker to trick her father-in-law into getting her pregnant so she could keep her place in the family after her husband died. We know, it’s a crazy story. But it was really important in their culture at the time that she received justice according to their law. And justice for her was to have a family if she so desired. In fact, her father-in-law, upon realizing what happened, called her “more righteous than I.”
Rahab: A sex worker/brothel owner who hid spies from Israel and helped them gather intelligence on the defenses of her city, so they could be successful in conquering it.
Ruth: A widow whose love and loyalty were so confounding, she chose not to pursue the certainty of well-being she could have had by going back to her childhood family home after the death of her husband. Instead, she followed her mother-in-law to a strange land and married a close relative of her husband’s family to secure their welfare (again, it was culturally necessary at the time to ensure survival).
Bathsheba: A woman who was raped by the king. He saw her bathing and decided he wanted her. So he sent her husband to the front of a bloody war where he was all but guaranteed to die (he did), so he could rationalize his forcing himself on her. She became the king’s wife and experienced the loss of an infant child.
Mary: An unwed teen mom who, according to the law at the time, could have been stoned to death in the streets. She would no doubt have been gossiped about and ridiculed.
Of the dozens of women mentioned in Hebrew Scriptures, why were these five women chosen? Is it because they had to do desperate things to survive? Is it because each of them demonstrates different aspects of the plight of gender inequality in most cultures? Is it because they persevered in spite of seemingly impossible circumstances? We don’t know. But the story is certainly trying to tell us something about how we think about and judge women and the role they played in shaping Jesus’ identity.
2.) TALKING. Talking to women you didn’t know was a no-no.
He didn’t care. Jesus addressed women directly and publicly, something that was culturally confounding at the time. It even confused his own followers and closest friends. And he seemed to do it all the time with all kinds of women. Foreigners, enemies, widows, and sex workers, and in every recorded case, he connected with them personally with kindness and grace. In one often-cited case, he spoke to (1.) a Samaritan who was (2.) a woman and who was (3.) collecting water at a well in the heat of the day. Those three details tell us how culturally inappropriate it would have been for him to initiate a conversation. Samaritans were considered almost subhuman by most Jewish people at the time because of their racial impurity. Unknown women were never spoken to because they were traditionally considered property to the men in their lives. And if she’s collecting water by herself in the middle of the day, it likely means she was an outcast even among her own people, as women would generally collect water in the morning to stay cool and together to stay safe. We find out later she was likely an outcast because she’d been with so many men. But Jesus didn’t just speak to her; he asked her for a drink of water! To take water from her, from a vessel that she touched, and to drink it would have been unthinkable. But it demonstrated to his followers and all who heard the story that his movement would require people to think differently.
3.) EQUALITY. Jesus didn’t tolerate double standards.
During his ministry, some men brought a woman before Jesus. They accused her of adultery and then quoted the laws that said she should be killed. He successfully defended a woman from being executed publicly for committing adultery. They were looking for Jesus to condemn her as well. But he didn’t. You see, adultery is one of those things that requires two participants. But they didn’t bring the man caught in adultery before Jesus, just the woman. The whole situation reeked of hypocrisy, and Jesus had very little patience for hypocritical men when it came to sexual infractions of his day. So, he stepped in and protected the woman. He wouldn’t stand for the double standards.
4.) FOLLOWERS. Some of his first and most important followers were women.
Mary Magdalene is mentioned in the stories of Jesus more often than just about any other follower, including the other men in his inner circle known as the apostles. She is a central figure in just about every significant moment in his story.
Mary the sister of Martha (a different Mary than Mary Magdalene) is depicted sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to his teachings. While that might seem very insignificant, that posture is reserved for disciples listening to their Rabbis. In that time, Rabbis didn’t take on women as disciples. It just didn’t happen. Jesus didn’t just allow it, he encouraged it.
Joanna was another loyal follower. She was married to a wealthy official named Chuza, whom the Bible identifies as a critical member of the government that would eventually have Jesus delivered to the occupying Roman forces for execution. Joanna and other wealthy women bankrolled Jesus’ mission. That’s right. Jesus’ love movement was funded by women.
Though some have tried to minimize their critical role in the creation of Jesus’ radical love movement, there’s no question women were essential.
Genealogy: Matthew 1:1-17
Talking: John 4:1-29
Equality: John 8:1-11
Followers: Matthew 27:56 (Mary Magdalene); Luke 8:1-3 (Mary Magdalene and Joanna); Luke 10:38-42 (Mary sister of Martha)

Four ways Jesus supported women’s equality.

In Jesus’ time, communities were deeply divided by bitter differences in religious beliefs, political positions, income inequality, legal status, and ethnic differences. Sound familiar?
Jesus lived in the middle of a culture war, too. And though the political systems were different (not exactly a representative democracy), the greed, hypocrisy, and oppression different groups used to get their way were very similar.
Let’s set the scene.
Jesus was born at the height of the Roman Empire’s power. They’d conquered most of the known world, and Israel was no exception. Unlike previous empires that would try to destroy cultures by displacing conquered peoples’ leaders, the Romans didn’t force people to change their religion or customs as long as they kept their obligations to the empire. Rome would install a client king (a puppet government) and exact tribute (cash) in lots of different ways. Families were charged taxes per person—farmers on crops, fishermen on catches, and travelers were charged fees to use the roads. This was in addition to local business and religious taxes charged by priests.
In Israel, political and religious factions were one and the same. Back then, it was Pharisees and Sadducees. Today, we have conservatives and liberals.
The Pharisees were the most religiously conservative leaders. They had the most influence among the common working poor, who were the majority. They believed that a king would come one day to conquer Rome with violence and free their nation. Some preyed upon a mostly illiterate population by adding extra rules and requirements that were designed to force the working poor into a posture of subjugation.
The Sadducees were wealthy aristocrats who had a vested financial interest in Roman rule. They were in charge of the temple, and they didn’t believe any savior king was coming. They made themselves wealthy by exacting unfair taxes and fees from the labor of their own people and by contriving money-making schemes that forced the poor to pay exorbitant prices to participate in temple sacrifice—a critical part of their religion.
There were Zealot groups who hid in the hills and violently resisted Roman occupation, and then there were the Samaritans, often oppressed and marginalized because of their racial and ethnic identities.
And so, the common farmer, fisherman, or craftsman’s family lived through a highly volatile political period. Overbearing religious leaders who despised and oppressed them, wealthy elites who ripped them off, racial and ethnic tension with neighbors, and sporadic violent outbreaks between an oppressive occupying army.
So where was Jesus in all of this? Did he align with the religious elites? With the wealthy and powerful? Or did he start an uprising to overthrow them?
None of the above.
He went from town to town, offering hope, new life, and modeling a different way to live and to change the world. Instead of pursuing power, money, or religious authority, he shared a loving and sacrificially generous way of living. He chose not to go along with the schemes others used to impact the world. Instead, he championed a better way.
And so, each of these political groups saw him as a threat. The Pharisees recognized his movement as an affront to their authority—exposing the hypocrisy of their practices. The Sadducees saw Jesus as a threat to their power and wealth because he exposed their money-making schemes. The Zealots violently rejected one of the essential themes of Jesus’ movement: love your enemy.
In the end, it took all three of these groups to have him killed. A Zealot (Judas) betrayed his location to those seeking to arrest him, the Sadducees brought him before the Romans to be executed, and when the Romans couldn’t find a crime committed, the Pharisees rallied the people to force Rome’s hand.
Isn’t it funny how political foes can come together to destroy a common enemy that threatens their designs? But in spite of their best efforts, his execution was only the beginning of a movement that continues to impact the world thousands of years later. Jesus’ movement was so impactful because he actively resisted and rejected participating in culture-war politics.
<h2>Scripture Reference: Matthew 9:35-38; Luke 19:10</h2>

Jesus was fed up with politics, too.

No matter what we think of Christianity, most people can agree on one thing. During his lifetime, Jesus set a pretty good example of peace and love. And it’s not like he had an easy life.
He faced insurmountable controversy. So often, he was the target of unjustified hate. How did he stifle his outrage?
Sometimes, he didn’t. Jesus channeled his anger in defense of others when it really mattered. When he saw opportunists taking advantage of the poor, he confronted them without hesitation. But he knew how to pick his battles. Once, a group of men spit in Jesus’ face, struck him, and slapped him, and yet, he did nothing to retaliate.
Living today, it’s hard to imagine how he swallowed his rage. We’ve all noticed our blood boiling when politics come up in conversation, and we’ve felt the temptation to lash out on social media. It seems that every day, we’re faced with something new to fight about. Even though our anger is often justified, it’s taken a toll on our ability to engage with one another. And honestly, it doesn’t feel good.
By telling this story, we reminded ourselves that even when we’re tested and trolled, we have the option of rising above.
Scripture References: Matthew 5:38-48, Luke 22:47-53, Mark 12:13-17

How did Jesus deal with injustice?

AboutUs

No.
He Gets Us simply invites all to consider the story of a man who created a radical love movement that continues to impact the world thousands of years later. There are many churches and Christian groups that can help people who are spiritually open to understand more about who Jesus was and why his words and life are relevant today.
Whether you consider yourself a Christian, a believer in another faith, a spiritual explorer, or not religious or spiritual in any way, we invite you to hear about Jesus and be inspired by his example.
For some people, that inspiration might evoke curiosity about what Jesus taught. Some might even want to <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://hegetsus.com/en/connect">have a conversation</a> with someone about spirituality or<a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://hegetsus.com/en/connect"> join a local class</a> about the Christian faith at a local church. And so, we offer those options, but that’s not our mission.
Some people will want to <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/28926-jesus-he-gets-us?_branch_match_id=1073350575304477221&amp;utm_campaign=JesusHeGetsUs1&amp;utm_medium=HeGetsUs&amp;_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXTywo0EvKTMpJ1UvOz9X3SHVPLSkOLTYEAOXfpTYfAAAA">read accounts of Jesus’ life from the Bible</a> at their own pace and on their own terms. We have reading plans that make that possible too. But there are never any strings attached.
We hope to be the voice of a movement — of people who have considered his story and found it deeply and personally transformational. For some, it has been a religious experience, and for others, it’s simply a call to strive to love others better.
No matter what your response is to his story, we encourage you to explore it from a new perspective.

Is this a campaign to get me to go to church?

<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-635 size-full" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-1-2.png" alt="" width="1800" height="384" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-1-2.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-1-2-300x64.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-1-2-1200x256.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-1-2-768x164.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-1-2-1536x328.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-1-2-1400x299.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" />
How did the story of a man who taught and practiced unconditional love, peace, and kindness; who spent his life defending the poor and the marginalized; a man who even forgave his killers while they executed him unjustly — whose life inspired a radical movement that is still impacting the world thousands of years later — how did this man’s story become associated with hatred and oppression for so many people? And how might we all rediscover the promise of the love his story represents? Those are the questions at the heart of He Gets Us. 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-637 size-full" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image1-3.png" alt="" width="1800" height="1076" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image1-3.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image1-3-300x179.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image1-3-828x495.png 828w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image1-3-768x459.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image1-3-1536x918.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image1-3-1200x717.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Image1-3-1400x837.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" />
We’ve done a lot of homework on our culture. We researched how people feel about each other and what they think about Jesus and Christianity. We’ve connected with thousands of people of various faith traditions and those who claim no religion. We spoke to all kinds of people — different backgrounds, beliefs, and, yes, political affiliations. And this is what we’ve learned: From politics to sexuality and religion, so many of us feel like our values, beliefs, and identities are under attack by the ideological “others” around us. Many perceive those who differ with them on issues of justice, dignity, and humanity as not just wrong or misguided but also as evil. As enemies. We often see these “others” as close-minded, selfish, hypocritical — and if we’re honest, many of us respond in kind. 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-638 size-full" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-3.png" alt="" width="1800" height="725" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-3.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-3-300x121.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-3-1200x483.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-3-768x309.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-3-1536x619.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-1-3-1400x564.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" />
The more ideologically defensive we become, the more we are willing to sacrifice things like kindness, patience, and the respect and dignity of others for the sake of victory — the righteous ends justifying the dehumanizing means. And it’s tearing us apart. We experience it in politics, in the workplace, in schools, and even in churches. And at the heart of the conflicts is a fundamental disagreement about what it means to be good. 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-636 size-full" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-2-3.png" alt="" width="1800" height="250" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-2-3.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-2-3-300x42.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-2-3-1200x167.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-2-3-768x107.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-2-3-1536x213.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Headline-2-3-1400x194.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" />
Throughout our shared history, Jesus has represented the ultimate good that humankind is capable of aspiring to. And though some no longer believe in God, most are still compelled by the idea of a person capable of unconditional love for others despite their differences. But many of us simply cannot reconcile the idea of that person with the way our culture experiences religion today. Whether it’s hypocrisy and discrimination in the church, or scandals both real and perceived among religious leaders, or the polarization of our politics, many have relegated Jesus from the world’s greatest love story to just another tactic used to intensify our deep cultural divisions. 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-639 size-full" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-3.png" alt="" width="1800" height="1200" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-3.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-3-300x200.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-3-743x495.png 743w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-3-768x512.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-3-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-3-600x400.png 600w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-3-1200x800.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-2-3-1400x933.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" />
How did we get here? And what might we learn from the example of Jesus to help move beyond the  animosity we feel for one another? How can we rediscover the life and teachings of Jesus, the world’s most radical love activist? That is our agenda at He Gets Us: to move beyond the mess of our current cultural moment to a place where all of us are invited to rediscover the love story of Jesus. Christians, non-Christians, and everybody in between. All of us.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-640 size-full" src="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-3-3.png" alt="" width="1800" height="725" srcset="https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-3-3.png 1800w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-3-3-300x121.png 300w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-3-3-1200x483.png 1200w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-3-3-768x309.png 768w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-3-3-1536x619.png 1536w, https://content.hegetsus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Quote-3-3-1400x564.png 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" />
He Gets Us is a diverse group of Jesus followers with a wide variety of faith journeys and lived experiences. Our work represents the input from Christians who believe that Jesus is the son of God as well as many others who, though not Christians, share a deep admiration for the man that Jesus was, and we are deeply inspired and curious to explore his story. We look at the biography of Jesus through a modern lens to find new relevance in often overlooked moments and themes from his life. If you’d like to join us, you’re invited. Below you’ll find several resources to explore the story of Jesus for yourself.

He Gets Us has an agenda.

We get it. This is a unique effort, so we understand why this is one of the most common questions asked. 
Funding for He Gets Us comes from a diverse group of individuals and entities with a common goal of sharing Jesus’ story authentically. 
Most of the people driving He Gets Us, including our donors, choose to remain anonymous because the story isn’t about them, and they don’t want the credit. It’s about Jesus, who created a love movement that is still inspiring many people thousands of years later. 
The people pouring their time, energy, and money into this mission have come to the conclusion that this endeavor could be the catalyst of a movement toward unity for all of us. 
And in spite of our political differences, in spite of our ideological origins, in spite of all the things that could divide us, we have found a beautiful kinship in the inspiration we draw from the story of Jesus and the power of his life.

Trending