10 Characteristics of Jesus Christ (cont.)
6. Prayerful
No matter how busy Jesus was, He spent time alone to pray. Whether in Gethsemane, across a river, or on a mountaintop, Jesus disappeared for a while to talk to His Father. People always tried to find Him, and He never turned them away. But Jesus also prioritized time with His heavenly Father.
7. Gentle
Sometimes Jesus used stern words. But He knew when gentleness was appropriate. Children loved Jesus, and He made sure the disciples knew not to hinder them. When speaking with His disciples, mother, or other women, Jesus could be very kindhearted and gentle. But while rebuking someone or making a point in an argument, He knew when turning up the heat was necessary. And he did so only strategically.
8. Patient
The gospels portray Jesus as a very patient man. After all, His disciples constantly doubted him. Pharisees and Sadducees continually attacked Him. And large crowds wouldn’t leave Him alone. Despite all that, Jesus kept His composure and responded appropriately to everyone.
9. Self-Controlled
Before Jesus launched His ministry, the Devil tempted Him in the wilderness. Although Jesus could have accepted food, power, and many other things, He controlled His desires and submitted them all to the Father’s will. Yes, Jesus had desires for food and such. But He had a greater desire to obey the Lord and accomplish what He set out to do.
10. Humble
Jesus had every opportunity and right to demand praise and accolades for His miracles and teachings. But He never did! Even when crowds sought to make Him king, Jesus rushed away from their grasp. Jesus didn’t want to become a sideshow performance that people could enjoy. Rather, He wanted to seek and save the lost. He offered forgiveness for sinful people. Yes, Jesus could have traveled around to show off His powers in other towns, but He chose not to.
Final Thoughts
The world doesn’t need more role models. It needs more of Jesus, the ultimate role model. People won’t find a better person to emulate than Christ himself.
This article by Michael Krauszer about 10 characteristics of Jesus originally appeared here.
