Trying to be like Jesus - praise

I think I am about done with this segment.

It doesn't mean that there isn't anything else to learn, or even already learned, but it may be time to move on, probably including two posts where I am learning more from the apostles.

I still need to cover something that happened on Palm Sunday. It's a minor thing, and it might even only be one thing that was remembered a little bit differently by the writers (more on that in another post).

Matthew 21:
15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,

16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

Luke 19:
38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.

40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

It's no surprise that priests and Pharisees would be displeased with the praise; their refusal to accept Jesus as their king and the Son of David was the crux of their entire conflict.

At the same time, there also seems to be a disapproval with the enthusiasm of the belief. I think they found the overflowing of joy and praise in itself to be offensive.

The response of Jesus is not a doctrinal argument, and why would it be? He knows that their hearts are hard, and if there is an opening it is not going to be won by argument. Instead, especially in Luke, I find an empathy for the joy.

You wouldn't think it is necessary -- usually when we need to feel for someone it's because of their hard time, not their time of elation. Still, some people will look down on anything.

The strongest lesson of this series has been how Jesus was able to focus on the needs of each individual, reminding me both that it works better and also that a single person is worth it. Right next to it is his repeated rejection of contempt for humanity and mortal life.

We might overflow with emotions, and be slow learners, and long for comfort, and take pleasure in small things, and Jesus was kind and patient with that.

"Condescension" is generally a word with negative connotations, except when we are talking about Jesus, who truly brought himself down to our level. It is negative when another mortal is doing it, believing that they are higher.

The one who actually had every reason to look down on us didn't.

Humans are messy. We get impatient and loud and emotional, and it is as we were created. That can be frustrating and inconvenient, but it is also understandable.

The first way to be like Jesus is to love: fully, sincerely, and generously.

One natural result of that should be that you quit being an ass.