Who is Jesus for Costa Ricans?
I was born in the 90s. That means I saw the birth of social media in its most primitive form. Since the social media world was in its infancy during my adolescence, socializing was different: on the corner of the neighborhood, in front of the grocery store, drinking soda from a bag.
In that setting, we grew up with a very Costa Rican art: nickname-giving. This practice involved a lot of observation. Whether it was related to physical appearance or some other quality, a nickname could forever mark someone's identity. If you were ugly, tall, hard-working, introverted, or not very good at sports, that was valuable material. But in the end, it all depended on the observers' perception (and as much as you might want to be nicknamed "mighty lion," if their perception was different, you'd forever remain a "sick chicken").
Thinking about this... What if Jesus were on the corner of our neighborhood? What nickname would we Ticos give Him? The poor perception and short-sightedness that characterize our society would lead to labels that poorly describe His character. Then perhaps, this would be Jesus for Ticos:
1. Jesus, the "party crasher"
A Jesus who is simply someone who dampens the fun. A merely restrictive character focused on drowning any pretense of pleasure. That's Jesus for those across the street, but worse still, that's Jesus for people who call themselves believers, incapable of seeing in Him anything more than a decibel regulator of the volume of their joy. Such a perception provokes a fanciful behavior of "hiding from Him to enjoy ourselves," completely ignoring His Omnipresence.
2. Jesus, the "Lifeguard"
On the other hand, Jesus can be seen simply as a lifeguard. Someone we turn to when we're drowning, but if the tide is calm, He's simply a cumbersome accessory left on the shore. Is Jesus simply the rescue when we are sick, unemployed, or anxious?
The danger of reducing Jesus in this way is very high. If we turn to Him simply when we need help, we are using Him! And by living this way, we are loving ourselves more than we love Him, for He simply becomes a means to achieve other things.
3. Jesus, the "butter-handed"
Some see Jesus as someone who lets our requests, worries, or trials slip through His fingers. He is not in control of the situation and, therefore, it is not worth relying on His intervention.
This kind of view of Jesus characterizes people who may not go so far as to deny His existence, but sadly constantly affirm His limited power. For them, Jesus is measured by His ability to intervene for their good... but when things don't happen according to their perception of "good," Jesus is dismissed as ineffective or uninterested in them. This leads to non-worship through non-contemplation of the beauty of His power.
"But who do you say that I am?" (Matthew 16:15). This was Jesus' question to those in "his neighborhood." Peter gave a correct answer, different from those who dismissed Jesus due to poor observational skills, and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of God" (Matthew 16:16). Jesus takes pleasure in his people's good perception of His character. Finally, Jesus not only approves of Peter's perception, but also expands on the details of His purpose.
"From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the religious leaders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law, and that he must be killed and on the third day rise again" (Matthew 16:21).
Jesus' willingness to die for sinners shows his absolute concern for them. He is not a "spoilsport," but rather wants to give himself so that they may obtain the indescribable joy of life. He is not a "lifeline" from superficial evils; He is the one who gave His life to save us from the only true evil: sin. And He is not ineffective; rather, His death was the precise intervention to place our guilt in His hands. Tim Keller affirms that "wasting one's life is not a sign of love, but a great mistake" (The Reason for God, p. 260). But Jesus did not die in vain, as someone might do while walking with a friend and saying "I love you," jumping into a river to die; no, Jesus threw himself into his death to save drowning sinners... and that does say "I love you."
Therefore, Jesus is the source of our joy, the giver of our new life, and the one who took upon Himself the greatest of our evils. All of this makes Him worthy of the best nickname: Redeemer!
