Tim

A youth ministry friend of mine read an article that stated the sweet spot for a youth pastor’s age is between twenty-two and twenty-four years old.  Here is the reasoning.  For youth pastors under twenty-two, students may see them as too close to their age, and not view them as an authority figure.  Those over twenty-four are already considered by students to be too old and out of touch.  I didn't read this article, so I do not know the primary thought this author was trying to convey.  However, I do know that when I was a twenty year old youth pastor, a student asked me to prom.  I had to explain that it would be a bit inappropriate (now you know why I grow a full beard and dress like a grandpa).   When I was twenty-four a student referred to her twenty year old cousin as a “dinosaur” (Jr. Highers have a way of making everyone feel old).   I guess the author might have been on to something.  Even so, hearing an argument for a youth pastor’s influence being based on age really frustrated me.  I spent five years in college to prepare for a career in youth ministry.  I may not be great at math, but I do recognize that spending five years preparing for a career with a two year long sweet spot doesn't add up.

Here is why it frustrates me even more.  Not every church needs a youth pastor…but every church needs a Tim. 

Tim Hanson is not what most youth would call “cool”, but he is awe inspiring (now, in case that came across as a backhanded compliment…I’m no longer “cool” either.  I’m a “dinosaur”…and you probably are too).  Tim does not know what the hottest indie band is.  He does not know what the best movie in theaters is, he can’t tell you about last week’s SNL sketches, he doesn't play video games, and he has never tweeted.  Tim is not what the millennial generation full of aesthetic savvy hipsters would call “culturally relevant”.   Tim is something much better than culturally relevant—he is critically relevant.  Here is why: love is always relevant, and it is always critical.  Here is a truth I have learned.  Students don’t care how cool you are.  They are starving for love, and if you’ll give love to them, they will invite you into their lives.  Love opens doors, and often that open door allows Christ to enter a student’s life and do His transforming work there.

Tim has been doing youth ministry longer than I have been alive (by a decade and then some).  Several months ago, when we asked the students who one of the most influential people in their life is, many said Tim Hanson.  I think it is because Tim actually cares about students.  He takes the time to talk with them, and to know what’s going on in their lives.  Because Tim isn't “cool”, he is not afraid to give a teenager a hug.  Teenagers need hugs.

I am guessing that Tim never wrote a philosophy of ministry.  He just loves students and deeply desires that they know Jesus.  Students know his love for them, and they know his love for Jesus.

I would be a much different youth pastor if it weren't for Tim, and I guarantee I wouldn't be as good of one.  I am so thankful for Tim.  I hope I never use my cool quotient and my cultural relevance (or lack thereof) as an excuse to not be critically relevant in another’s life.  Students live surrounded by what’s cool every moment of every day.  What they long to be surrounded by is love.  The sweet spot for youth ministry isn't an age; it’s a heart that loves.

A love that transforms

There was a Disney movie that came out in 2001 called Princess Diaries, staring Anne Hathaway.  If you haven’t seen the movie, it’s probably because you didn’t have elementary aged sisters and/or a crush on Anne Hathaway in 2001.  I may or may not have had one or both of those things…  The premise of the movie is that Hathaway plays a teenager named Mia who discovers she is the heir to the thrown of Genovia.  The movie chronicles her transformation from a slobbish, unmotivated, apprehensive, and awkward teen-aged girl, into a beautiful, confident, elegant, gifted princess who is ready to step into her role as princess of Genovia.

There is a young man (of course) who right from the beginning saw beauty and value in Mia.  He helped her draw it out as she chose to accept her role as princess.  Whether you've seen this particular movie before or not…you know the story.  It’s seen in countless fairy tales—Beauty and the Beast, The Frog Prince, Cinderella—there is a character who is broken, trapped, and flawed, but a hero comes to heal, free and transform them.  The monstrous beast and slimy frog, are transformed into kind and gentle princes.  Cinderella, a poor servant girl is transformed into a beautiful princess.  The awkward teen Mia learns to see her value through another’s eyes, becoming a lovely princess.  In every fairy tale there is a catalyst for transformation, and almost always, that catalyst is the love of someone else.  The Beast could not be transformed without Belle confessing her love.  The frog could not be transformed without the kiss of a princess.  Cinderella could not become a princess until the prince slipped the glass slipper onto the foot of his true love.  Mia had to learn her value by accepting another’s love.

Notice that in none of these tales does anyone have the power to transform themselves.  In a very grim (…Brother’s Grimm, in fact…) version of Cinderella, the evil step sisters hack off their heels and toes in order to fit their NBA sized feet into the glass slipper.  Despite their pain and hard work, they couldn't earn the princes’ favor…it had to be given to them.

I think these fairy tales speak of a truth all people know intrinsically.  Love transforms…and love cannot be earned.  Jesus Christ looks into the brokenness of each of our lives…and offers to transform us with a love far greater than that of any fairy tale.  Like a prince on a royal steed, he gallops in to rescue us from the dark dungeon of our sin.  He pays the penalty and dies the death we deserve, but conquers death like a dragon slayed once for all.  All we must do is accept his love and allow it to transform us.

What if the beast decided that the free gift of Belle’s love couldn't transform him?  What if he bought a crate of Gillette razors, and a few hundred canisters of shaving cream so he could shave off his fur every day in an attempt to transform himself?   What if Cinderella decided she’d try to work her way to royalty rather than accept the love of the prince?  There is no happily ever after to those fairy tales, because there is no real transformation.  So why do we attempt to transform ourselves?  Let’s embrace the love of Christ that transforms and brings new life.  Our Heavenly kingdom awaits, and it’s a true happily ever after.

Lessons on love from an old, dead, saint

This Thursday is Valentine’s day, the day that men give much appreciated clichés such as heart shaped boxes of chocolates, bouquets of roses, and cards with embarrassing little notes to their sweethearts.  It’s the one time of the year that a naked baby with a bow and arrow is somehow romantic (most of the time naked children with deadly weapons aren’t romantic at all!).  Though some would bemoan a day that seems to exist just to put another dead president in the pocket of Hallmark, I excitedly celebrate a day that celebrates love.  But why is February 14^th this day?  What are its origins?  Who was this man named St. Valentine?

Like love itself, St. Valentine is a bit of a mystery.  I should know…I spent this morning on Wikipedia.  The feast of St. Valentine, February 14^th, was first established in the year 496 by Pope Gelasius I, who included St. Valentine among all those “…whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God.”  Though there were many different St. Valentines throughout history…and it is difficult to separate legend from truth, there are a couple of stories that share some similarities.  According to the official biography of the Diocese of Terni, Bishop Valentine was imprisoned and tortured in Rome on February 14, 273.

The Nuremberg Chronicle of 1493 tells that St. Valentine was a Roman Priest who was arrested and imprisoned by Claudius II for both performing marriage ceremonies for Christian couples and aiding Christians in other ways during a time when Christians were persecuted in Rome.  To help a Christian was a crime.  Though Claudius persecuted Christians and imprisoned Valentine, he took a liking to his prisoner, that is, until Valentine tried to convert him.  At that point he was beaten and executed by beheading.

A similar story says that while under the house arrest of judge Asterius, Valentine (Valentinus to any Romans reading this) discussed his faith with him—namely the validity of Jesus.  Putting Valentine to the test, the judge brought him his adopted blind daughter.  If Valentine could restore the girl’s sight, the judge would do anything he asked.  Valentine laid his hands upon the girl’s eyes, and her vision was restored.  Humbled, the judge asked what he should do.  Valentine told him to break all of his idols, fast for three days, and then be baptized.  After doing these things, the judge released all the Christian inmates under him, and all his family along with forty others were baptized.  Later, Valentine was arrested once again for continuing to serve Jesus, and was sent to Emperor Claudius, who, at first took a liking to Valentine, but as Valentine attempted to convert him, Claudius commanded that he renounce his faith or be beaten with clubs and beheaded.  Valentine would not renounce his faith.  His love for his Lord was stronger than his fear of death.

What do we take from these stories, and how do they help us celebrate the 14^th?  It’s true that some of the details of the namesake of this day are fuzzy, but what we do see is a tremendous amount of love in this man.  Love for his Lord—that he would serve Christ despite the cost.  Love for his brothers and sisters in Christ—that he would serve them despite the cost.  Love for an enemy—that he would bring the truth of Christ to the man who ultimately killed him—because he knew it was worth the risk; worth the cost.

Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this:  to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13).  This Valentine’s day I want to remember that love is risky.  Not a baby with a bow and arrow kind of risky…that’s just ridiculous.  Great love takes great risks for the sake of another—that kind of risky.  Would I, like my Lord, give my life for another out of Love?  That’s the kind of Valentine…and Christian…I want to be. 

The Character of a Christian

Walk down a busy street in almost any of our country’s biggest cities and you’ll likely notice this: our country is becoming more and more diverse.  Ethnicity, religion, education, age, politics, income, philosophy, ideals, lifestyle, experience, history—differences surround us.  Even so, we may not experience the richness of this diversity…because generally, people tend to spend their time with others like them.   This is a learned trait.  In school, jocks hang out with jocks, the drama kids hang with the drama kids, skaters hang with skaters, gamers hang with gamers, etc.  The bigger and more diverse the school, the more pronounced this becomes.

There are some groups we naturally become a part of, and others we are naturally excluded from.  No matter how much I enjoy football—I will never be in the NFL (have you seen my body type?)  I may think it would be neat to be in Mensa but I do not have the IQ to join.   No matter how many posters of Justin Bieber I put on my wall, no matter how many times I watch the Twilight movies, or throw slumber parties…I, as an adult male, will never be a middle school girl.  This (thankfully) is a group I will always be excluded from!  

What are the characteristics that unite Christians as a group?

Unfortunately, some people may feel that they could never be a Christian—to them the thought is as ludicrous as an adult male living like a middle school girl.  They don’t look right, dress right, talk right, or act right.  Like an average guy with dreams of NFL, they may think that they don’t have the “skills” to be a Christian.  They might feel that both God and other Christians couldn't possibly accept them.

But the truth about Christianity is that it’s not defined that way.  Christianity is for anyone!  Income doesn't matter, talents don’t matter, gender doesn't matter, education doesn't matter, ethnicity and background don’t matter.  There is no earthly characteristic that sets apart Christians.

Jesus revealed the defining characteristic of the church in John 17.  This prayer to the father takes place right before he was arrested and executed.  If you knew your violent death approached, what would be on your mind?  This was what was on Jesus’ mind.  John 17:20-21,

²⁰ “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. ²¹ I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

On the last night before Jesus was murdered—he prayed for the future believers—for you and I.  He prayed that we would have something so other-worldly that it would distinguish us from all the rest of the world.  That was our unity—and that unity is built on our love for one another.

Living in a college dorm taught me this well.  I remember walking into the sub lounge one day and seeing a grown adult man making the Millennium Falcon out of Lego.  In the same dorm, there was a guy who continually led our school to the national championship in soccer.  We had artists, and sports geeks, video gamers, and sci fi nerds.  We had guys from all around the world.

 The only thing we had in common was that we loved Jesus—and we grew to love one another.

This Love is so important because it is this love and unity that convinces the world of the truth of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps some of you have seen the movie End of the Spear.  This movie recounts the story of Five missionary men who reach out to a tribal people in Ecuador called the Waodani People.  All five men were speared to death by this people group…and even still, their wives and a sister went and continued their ministry—leading many to Christ.  Warring tribes became united.  A culture of polygamy and violence was ended….all because of a love that pointed to Christ.

When Jesus was asked the greatest commandment, this is how he responded.

Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.—Matthew 22:37-40

Why does Jesus say that the second is like it?  How is loving some broken, imperfect person anything like loving God? 

1 John 4:20-21 says,

If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?  And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters.

And in Matthew 25, Jesus makes it clear that the primary way we express our love to Christ is by loving others. 

 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’—Matthew 25:40

Our love for one another is what actually shows that we belong to Christ.  1 John 2:9-11 says,

If  anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness. 

If we as Christian’s aren't characterized by our love…there is nothing that sets us apart from any other social group!  We are void of identity, and our testimony is empty and useless.  May our love for one another unify our hearts and point a hurting world to the love of Christ.  Amen.

Christ's resolution to make us new

Happy New Year!   I love this time of year—it’s a perfect time to do some soul searching and reflection—a time to look back and an exciting time to look forward.  New Years feels like a fresh start—it’s like the spring cleaning of my life; I get to hit the reset button.

Because of this I think New  Years is a great time to celebrate the new life we are given when we put our faith in Christ.

Many people make New Years’ resolutions, but our greatest joy comes in the truth that through the cross, Jesus resolved to make us new!

What does it look like to be made new by Christ, and what does that mean in how we live our daily lives?  2 Corinthians 5, starting with verse 14, says this,

^“14…Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. ¹⁵ He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.”

Statistically, only 8% of those who make New Year’s resolutions actually keep them.  I think part of that is because we are sorely incapable of transforming ourselves.  We need the author of our book to make the edits in our life.  God is the one who re-writes the story.  He’s the one who can transform lives.

If we are Christians, we are made completely new!  Our old self is dead, we don’t have to dwell on the brokenness and mess of our old lives, because in God’s eyes—we are spotless!

  Why is it that for a new year, we make resolutions?  I think we long for meaning, and we want to be more then we have been.  When Christ makes us new, he gives us that opportunity.  Christ gives us life direction. 

Rather than continue trying to live to please ourselves—to find that missing piece that will bring the satisfaction we crave—we are invited to live for Christ, because it is relationship with him that we crave…even when we don’t realize it.  2 Corinthians 5 goes on to say,

“ ¹⁶ So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! ¹⁷ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

Paul, the author of this passage, used to hate Jesus before he became a Christian.  He wanted to see all Christians dead or imprisoned.  Paul had a human point of view of who Jesus was, and who others were.  He hadn’t been enlightened by the Holy Spirit to see that Jesus is the son of God, and he didn’t look on other people with the love of Christ that says every person is valuable enough to die for.  Then Christ gave him a new life…and a new perspective.  Christ gives us new eyes.

                I had a classmate who was a drama geek like me.  He knew how to sweet talk the director…so he always got the best parts (it couldn’t have possibly been because he was a better actor than me).  He was selfish and self-centered—nearly as much as I was—and because I am a Christian and don’t use words like hate…I strongly disliked this guy.  Years later, when I’d hear his name, my blood would boil a little bit.  I realized this was not a good thing.  I wrote him and apologized for the way I acted towards him in High school.  It was time to make things right—time to see this person through the eyes of Christ, and not my mere human, hate-filled point of view.   

                2 Corinthians goes on to say,

“ ¹⁸ And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.” 

When God calls us to be his, he also gives us a purpose—drawing others to the hope we have found.  Our resolutions at New Years strive for—long for— purpose.  We make goals and commitments so that we can accomplish something…and then we feel lousy when the next week we’ve already failed. 

Maybe the reason I fail at my resolutions is because I am pushing after my own flimsy goals, rather than joining Christ in living out the purpose he has placed on me.

Christ gives us a task.  Love God, love people.  Reconcile others to him.

¹⁹ For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. ²⁰ So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” ²¹ For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Christ has made us new to live for him—this year will you choose to live out the task he’s given, resolving to look on others with Christ’s eyes, and reconcile people to him?

Wisdom like Wise Men

Last week was my sister’s birthday.  I forgot.  I normally do.  Have you ever missed a birthday that you really shouldn’t have missed?

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”—Matthew 2:1-2

These are men from far away.  It is most likely that these were not Jewish men—not a part of God’s chosen people.  Yet, the irony is they are pointing out to the people of Jerusalem that the king of the Jews has been born, and the people of Jerusalem are completely unaware!

But look how they respond!

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.—Matthew 2:3

There was no air of excitement.  No belated-birthday cards.  Though the people were anticipating the coming Messiah, they were comfortable with the way things were.  When new kings come along, things get messy, and so instead of being excited like they should be, they were disturbed.

Herod had been ruling for 35 years, and he was jealous!  He didn’t want ANYONE to have the title of king but him.

So, he calls The leading priests forward to find out where the king is to be born, not so much so he can help his visitors out, but so that he can find this child and kill him (…murder was one of Herod’s favorite past times)!  He tells the Wise men to report back to him so that he too can go worship the child.   He has no intention of worship, but rather of violence.

 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for out of you will come a ruler

who will shepherd my people Israel.’” –Matthew 2:6

So they find out that the child will be born in Bethlehem.

I love road trips—the epitome of modern day adventures.  I think the story of the wise men would make a pretty great road trip movie.  They have this goal of finding this king.  They don’t know who he will be, or where he will be, but they step out in faith.  They follow this star as their GPS, and it keeps on showing up when they need it.

Though all of Jerusalem should be celebrating with them, worshiping with them, seeking out this child with them…the Wise men go alone.

This has been a long journey.  We find out later in the chapter that the star first appeared to the Wise men 2 years ago.  They have given up there time and energy to find this king, when Jesus’ own people hadn’t acknowledged him.  Finally they find him.

He’s not in the stable we see in nativity scenes or Christmas pageants.  They place the wise men there to condense the story, but Matthew clearly mentions a “house” rather than stable, and “child” rather than baby.  Jesus was probably one or two at this time.  

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. –Matthew 2:9-12

I wonder what the Wise men were thinking when this king they were seeking for years is in the home of peasants, not recognized by anyone else as the king he truly is. 

They fall down and worship him. 

In a small village, in the home of a carpenter and his young wife, they bring extravagant gifts.  What a stark contrast, laying these gifts before the child.  Wrapped in these gifts was the identity of the holy child.  Gold, because he is a king, frankincense, because he is divine, and myrrh—used to anoint a body for burial.  From the very beginning, Christ’s life pointed towards the cross.

The Wise men gave their best to him.

Herod on the other hand, decided that he would kill all the baby boys two years and under in all of Bethlehem in order to wipe out this new born King, Jesus.  (Spoiler alert: Jesus escapes)

The Wise men pursued Christ, bowed in worship and gave their best to the king.

Herod, in pride, destroyed others to hold up himself as king.

What are your pursuits?  Who or what receives your worship?  For what do you offer your best?  Who is king in your life?

A peculiar gift in a strange package

This past week for youth group, we did a white elephant gift exchange.  I like these exchanges because they are complete surprises.  Often, the box or wrapping paper gives no clues as to what lies inside.  During the Christmas season, gifts can so quickly and easily become a distraction from Jesus—the true reason we celebrate.  This year, I want to invite us to look at our gifts as a reminder of Jesus.  When Jesus came down at Christmas, he became God’s ultimate White elephant gift to humanity—a peculiar gift—the fullness of God, eternal and holy—wrapped up in the flesh of a helpless infant.  We did not know the greatness of the gift we received.

This is such a spectacular truth—Jesus Christ: fully God and fully man—that we don’t really know how to fathom it, and so we take Christ’s birth and make it something worthy of a Hallmark greeting card.  After all, he was the son of God!   We paint this picture: the stable is neat and tidy—no manure caked in the hay. Mary is pristine, beautiful, and solemn; not a teenage girl desperate, terrified, sweaty, and screaming in pain.  Joseph is a carpenter…with a minor in midwifery…and knows exactly what he’s doing when he delivers that baby.  He couldn't possibly be a desperate man praying for God’s help in a healthy and safe delivery; scrambling to find some rag to wrap the baby in and something sharp and clean cut the umbilical cord.    The star in the sky casts a perfect spotlight on Jesus as he lies in a plush manger crib—no dried animal slobber, wooden slivers, or jabbing straw to be found.  Jesus is a perfect, beautiful baby, complete with heavenly, glowing aura.  There is no afterbirth.  He is not sticky and wet.  “The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes, but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes…”  Ok, let’s brush off some of the glitter and push aside the tinsel.  Let’s be realistic.  There was no “silent” night.  Jesus was a baby. A human baby.  Exiting the balmy 98.6 degree climate of his mother’s womb out into the chilly night, breathing air for the first time into his lungs, I am sure like every baby, Jesus put those lungs to good use, screaming and waling… and waking up an animal or two. 

This peculiar night when the Holy Lord came into the world as an infant…was a profoundly human event.  It was messy, scary, dirty, and lowly.  There was pain and uncertainty.  It’s as if God went out of his way to point out just how human Jesus was.  Being born in a stable, and laid in a manger, he made himself even more vulnerable than most.  In all of the chaos, it was not a silent night…but it was a holy night.  This little baby boy, crying in a manger, sticky with afterbirth…was Holy God!  Multitudes of angels sang in worship at his birth.  Prophets foretold his coming.  He shall be called Immanuel—“God with us”!

Unique amongst all, Jesus alone existed before his birth.  “The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…” John 1:14.  He chose to be born as a human and dwell amongst us.  He chose to leave the glory and splendor of Heaven, giving up power and becoming a helpless baby.  He chose to be born to a teenage mother with an unbelievable story of being a pregnant virgin by the power of God.  Who would look with favor on that family?  He chose to be a homeless wanderer, despised by the religious leaders of his day.  He chose to face a criminals death on the cross—all of this for our sake.  Jesus said that he came to serve, not to be served—that he came to give his life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).  Not only did he choose to live our experience, he also lived this life with the ultimate purpose of dying for our sake.

Jesus understands life.  He knew trial and temptation—and he conquered them through his power.  He is God.  Demons fear him.  Angels adore him.  He holds all authority, yet chose to surrender his life for our sake.  Because he is man, he can relate to us—cry with us, feel our pains, joys, happiness and sorrow.  But because he is God, he can conquer our pains, our sin—he can save us because he has the authority!

Job longed for a mediator; someone who could stand on his behalf before God.  “God is not a mortal like me, so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial.  If only there were a mediator who could bring us together, but there is none.” Job 9:32-33.  Jesus became that mediator!  Augustine said, “He is mediator between God and man, because he is God with the Father, and a man with men.  A mere man could not be a mediator between God and man; nor could a mere God.  Behold the mediator: Divinity without humanity cannot act as a mediator; nor can humanity without Divinity; but the human Divinity and the Divine humanity of Christ is the sole mediator between Divinity and humanity.” 1 Tim 2:5-6 says, ^“ For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.”

John Calvin said that as God alone, Christ couldn't feel death, but as man alone, he couldn’t conquer it.  So he coupled both natures together.  He faced death…and conquered it, so that we might be free!

 If Jesus had not become man, we would have no one to relate to—no one who has faced our trials and triumphed, no one to put our hope in, but we are made holy by Christ.  “For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.” Hebrews 10:10

Jesus made the greatest gift exchange—he became human…so that we might become holy.  He chose us so that we could choose him.  He gave us his very life.  Will we give ours in return?