The worst climate change I know of is the terrible increase in the heat of anger in our relationships, near and far. It’s fueled by the most flammable material there is—self-righteous judgment. It’s nothing new, but there’s so much more combustible information coming at us than ever before, so forming an educated opinion with an angry, clenched fist seems reasonable.

I’m reminded of a favorite incident in the book of Luke. Hot-head brothers, James and John, were traveling with the Messiah, and after a snub by some of the ungrateful locals, the brothers thought they knew what ought to happen to those ingrates.

Luke 9:51-56 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them, 56 and they went to another village.

Two things stand out to me: First, the disciples were free to be the way they were, sloppy and stupid, around Jesus. This says so much about their relationship…with God! They were themselves around Him—Shall we have a barbecue, Lord?—unafraid of any consequence. That’s fantastic—and rare, even today.

Second, it also indicates that people were used to thinking that they had to do everything right, OR ELSE. The Pharisees had long taught this, and James and John must have thought something like, “These people are doing it all wrong. They’re not treating you the way you deserve, Lord. How about we smoke ‘em?” But Jesus came not to condemn (or smoke) but to save. It framed and filled everything He thought and did for people. It still does.

You, too, can be yourself around Jesus. You have no worries with Him. None. You don’t have to put on a show. He is perfect with you—exactly what you need, exactly what you most deeply want. He is always about helping you, not hindering. It just takes a while to figure that out. That means you can relax if you’ve recently asked Him to smoke somebody who was a little out of line.

See you later.