Be Like Jesus - 7

[Guest guest]

reminded her of the prophetic words of one of the Arabian kings who visited

Jesus at the time of his birth, who said that he would love God. Mary

affectionately rushed towards him and embraced him. When Mary told Jesus about

the anxiety that they felt when they missed him, Jesus replied: "Mother! Why

should you have any fear? Those who believe in the world will have fears. But

why should anyone believing in God fear at all? I am in the company of my

Father. You taught that God is everything for us. How, then, can you worry like

this? This is the temple of God; it is my father's mansion. Nothing will be

lacking here. In this eternal and sacred home, I am perfectly safe and

protected." This shows that even by his twelfth year, Jesus was full of Divine

qualities and was imparting the Divine message to those around him. He had

learnt his lessons from his mother and developed his spiritual faith. In those

words Jesus revealed that he regarded himself as the Son

of God. Realising from his early years that the discharge of one's duties was

the primary obligation of a human being, Jesus used to help his father in his

work as a carpenter. After some time his father passed away. Mary told him,

"Now that your father has passed away, you should continue your father's

profession so that we may earn our livelihood." But Jesus was not inclined to

continue in his father's profession. His mother was also not interested in

opposing the natural inclinations of young Jesus. For a while he carried on his

father's work, but in due course he set out to start his ministry in the service

of the people. Like most seekers, Jesus first searched for the Divine in the

objective world. But he soon realised that the world was a kaleidoscopic

picture created by one's own imagination, and sought to find God within

himself. His stay in the Himalayan monasteries in Kashmir, and in other centres

of Eastern asceticism and philosophical enquiry,

gave him greater awareness. It grew in him by stages. Jesus first considered

himself as a messenger of God. Later, he asked himself, "Am i just a messenger,

or am I more closely related to God, a part of God with the Divine as my

essence?" Jesus spent twelve long years, wandering purposefully in lonely

places engaging himself in study, spiritual exercises and meditation on God. He

spent these many years in austerities so that he could shower compassion and

love on all humanity. At the end of this period, he returned to the society of

men and announced, " I am the Son of God." As the awareness of God developed in

him through contemplation and meditation, he realised his identity with God and

he could assert, " I and my Father are one." Who is a "messenger of God"? he is

the one who comprehends the purpose of his life. The "son of God" is one who

appears as Divine to others. "I and my Father are one" signifies the true

nature of the individual, his identity

with Divinity. It is in this manner that Christ progressed in his ministry. He

conveyed his message in simple and convincing terms. ---Sri Sathya Sai

Baba From the book "Be Like Jesus" The Good News of Jesus in the words

of Sri Sathya Sai Baba compiled by William and Debra Miller