As we live as disciples of Jesus, it’s worth paying attention to His mannerisms, His personality, and the ways in which He interacted with others. Not only can we learn from the words He spoke, but also from the ways in which He reacted (or not) to various situations. 

I love telling the story of my mentor and friend Dr. Bill Gaultiere, who was blessed to share a conversation with Dallas Willard. As they walked along, Dallas asked Dr. Bill what he believed the most important virtue of Jesus was. Naturally, Dr. Bill was a bit nervous as he pondered his response, because after all, he was being quizzed by a giant of the faith. As he considered some of the major virtues like love, kindness, and wisdom, he was about to formulate his answer when he turned around and asked Dallas the very same question. “Well, Dallas, what would you say?” Without blinking an eye, Willard responded confidently, “Jesus was relaxed!” Though it may not be the first thing we think of when we consider the lifestyle and walk of our Savior, the truth is that Jesus was never uptight or in a hurry. Whether being scolded for not getting to His friend Lazarus in time to save his life or being woken by His disciples for sleeping on the back of a boat in the midst of a storm, our Lord never became rushed, anxious or upset. Since He was confident in His power and in the heart of His Father, He knew things would be okay. 

Friend, I encourage you to be relaxed like Jesus. As you follow in the ways of your Savior and seek to imitate Him in both word and deed, remember that you don’t have to rush, spin your wheels, or be uptight. Because you walk in the footsteps of your Rabbi and share His authority, you can be certain that He has ordained a path for you and will get you to the next place you need to be. When you allow the Lord to steer the ship of your life, you are free to relax and enjoy the ride. With your focus on the horizon, you will behold fresh beauty and blessings that you couldn’t have seen if you were still attempting to navigate your own course!