Man for All Seasons

When first thinking of Jesus as a “man for all seasons” I thought it applied more to the seasons of life that humans go through. There are times that are more relaxed, enjoyable, and happy. There are times that bring sadness pain and weakness and then there are times that have everything in between. No matter what season of life you are in God is with you during all of them no matter what. God’s constant presence through theses seasons if what I thought it was talking about as Jesus as a man for all seasons. Although that is still what I first think when I hear Jesus described that way, the reading for this week gave a little different interpretation of it.

Instead of the changing seasons being about our lives as humans, it seems the texts focuses more on the seasons being everything Jesus faced in his life. There were times Jesus was loved, thanked, believed, praised and then there were times that he was hated, betrayed, abused, humiliated. Even with everything he faced, Jesus remained true and faithful to God. By doing so Jesus set the example for how we as Christians are to live our lives. Will God always be there for you no matter what? Yes, I believe so. However, as Christians we are to follow Jesus’ example and always be faithful to God.

If we think of  “man of all seasons” as I originally thought (that God is there for you in the good times and bad) it seems to only focus on what God will do for it. With that thinking it is easy to minimize our part of the equation. Jesus the “man for all seasons” was faithful to God though everything. After the reading I look at the “man of all seasons” of something Christians are to strive for in our lives. Jesus was a man of all seasons but we can be too. Instead of just expecting God to be there for you through everything in life, we need to be actively seeking Him through those times. When we do this we are becoming more like the example Jesus set for us while he was here on Earth. Jesus was a man for all seasons and I think we can be too and then when we are, we can be an example for others around us just as Jesus was and is for us.