The Many-Sidedness of Christ

This morning I was reading in The Way, a devotional book by E. Stanley Jones.  Jones is so incredibly insightful and intuitive that it doesn’t take me long to get into deep thought about one of his topics.  Today this one caught my attention:  

“The straightforward, open proclamation is the best method. Jesus appeals to the soul as light appeals to the eye, as truth fits the conscience, as beauty speaks to the aesthetic nature. For Christ and the soul are made for one another.” – E. Stanley Jones

I began thinking about how Christ appeals to us in our differences, our gifts, and the purposes He has called us to, and the questions began to fill my mind.  So how does the landscaper consider Christ?  How about the cook, the writer or the educator? If God is the Creator of all things and has a plan and purpose for us, then how does He expect us to see and understand Christ through the lens of our gifts and interests?

Not more than two hours later, my daughter and I were cleaning out some storage bins and I happened across an old news clipping from the Gospel Advocate dated January 22, 1925.  I found the clipping years ago in an old book and tucked it away in a file.  I’m not sure what attracted me to the clipping then, but this day it spoke right to the very questions which lingered in my mind earlier this morning.  As you read, consider who Christ is to you in your gifts and occupation.

Jesus challenges the attention of the world by his many-sidedness.  He meets the needs of all classes and conditions of men.  As deep answereth unto deep, so does He respond to the movings of each soul of man.

Call the roll of the world’s workers and ask, “What do you think of Christ?” Their answers amaze us by their revelation of the universal appeal of Christ.  Someone (whose name has been lost) has collected the following examples of this universality.

• To the artist He is the One Altogether Lovely.
• To the architect He is the Chief Corner Stone.
• To the astronomer He is the Sun of Righteousness.
• To the baker He is the Living Bread.
• To the banker He is the Hidden Treasure.
• To the biologist He is the Life.
• To the builder He is the Sure Foundation.
• To the carpenter He is the Door.
• To the educator He is the Great Teacher.
• To the farmer he is the Sower and Lord of the Harvest.
• To the florist He is the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley.
• To the geologist He is the Rock of Ages.
• To the horticulturist He is the True Vine.
• To the judge He is the Righteous Judge, the Judge of all men.
• To the jeweler He is the Pearl of Great Price.
• To the lawyer He is the Counselor, the Lawgiver, the Advocate.
• To the newspaper man He is the Good Tidings of Great Joy.
• To the philanthropist He is the Unspeakable Gift.
• To the philosopher He is the Wisdom of God.
• To the railroad man He is the New and Living Way.
• To the preacher He is the Word of God.
• To the sculptor He is the Living Stone.
• To the servant He is the Good Master.
• To the statesman He is the Desire of All Nations.
• To the student He is the Incarnate Truth.
• To the theologian He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith.
• To the toiler He is the Giver of Rest.
• To the sinner He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
• To the Christian He is the Son of the Living God, Savior, Redeemer and Lord.

This is certainly not an exhaustive list, and was taken from what appears to be an interview of many people over a course of time in the mid-1920s.  How did this information strike you?  Who is Christ to you?

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