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> Lumunos: Faith & Light for the Journey > Lumunos Stories of Call > Exploring a Spiritual Life > What Do the Hands of Jesus Look Like?

What Do the Hands of Jesus Look Like?

By Tiffany Montavon

Christ has no body here but ours
No hands, no feet, here on earth but ours
Ours are the eyes though which he looks
On this world, With Kindness.
Ours are the hands through which he works
Ours are the feet on which he moves
Ours are the voices through which he
speaks To this world, With Kindness*

We come to Jesus in many ways. My agnostic friend from Harvard business school, while writing her dissertation, quite suddenly felt the presence of God around her. Ever since then she has a felt sensation when she prays for guidance, which she believes is Jesus. No longer agnostic, but a woman of faith in the academic circles in which she runs, Jesus is ever present to her now. Another friend, raised culturally Jewish, but without religious teachings or practices, had a vision of Jesus beckoning to him from the far side of a stream. “Come, follow me,” he said. So he did. He too, has a felt experience of God as he lives faithfully, these days. I grew up in the Protestant Christian church wanting to know Jesus. I had endless discussions with my youth group, Young Life, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes leaders about who he was, what grace meant, and how could I know Jesus. Despite those conversations and a religious studies minor, I can say ultimately, Jesus just never made sense to me. I never had enough faith to simply believe. Sacred Presence, yes. Jesus? Not so much. Difference between the two? Embodiment.

Lord, Hold My Hand

Eleven years ago my mom was diagnosed with brain cancer; my work at that time meant quitting my job and moving home to care for her. Nightly I walked the golf course, often punching the air as I walked, to move through the pent up energy I felt. At the 9th hole, I often turned back. The path went through a pitch-dark tunnel of trees; no light could penetrate the thick branches. One evening, I needed to walk more; I had a lot of energy to move out. Yet I was scared of walking in the darkness; scared of being alone. I prayed, “Lord, hold my hand. I’m scared, and I need you.” I walked forward, literally holding out my hand. I walked into the darkness, and through to the other side. No Jesus. No felt presence, no sense that I was accompanied by the Holy. Just me, walking through the darkness. My experience of the lack of Jesus’ presence in my life was as strong and true as my friends who have direct experience with him.

The Hands of Jesus

A month later, I met Jackie while visiting the Seekers Church in Washington DC. Within the week she took me canoeing, and listened as I described how I must be the only person in the world not having a good experience with Hospice. I needed practical help figuring out what my next steps should be in caring for my mom. Jackie (who ten years previously had helped her own mother die), offered the advice I needed: “Get a bed that raises to help her breathe. You need a home health care person to help with hygiene. You need to be taught how to lift her properly, so she knows she is safe as you move her.” Three days later Jackie called to check in. She helped me be fully present to my mother as she died. Within the same month, I attended my first FAW event. On this retreat, the gathered women listened and embraced me. So, too, the people of Seekers Church – all strangers, yet opening their arms to me. In the meantime, the people of my parent’s church took their role as spiritual community lovingly and solemnly, driving many times in a week to bring a meal, sit with mom, give communion. I now understand these people with their tangible actions of food, shelter, listening, prayer, tending – to be the hands of God. My experience of meeting Jesus was in the hands of people who lovingly listened, prayed for, made food for, took me canoeing, and gave my family tangible help.

Ancient Music Still True

At the end of each Everything Must Change Tour event there was a prayerful time of discernment. We were asked, “Given what you’ve experienced and learned here, what are your real next steps to live the call of Jesus in our world? Following Jesus, what will you do, to create peace, eradicate poverty, steward the earth?” As people were prayerfully listening, we sang the song “With Kindness” – written in the 16th century by Spanish nun, Teresa of Avila, and set to new music by Brian McLaren – and wrote our call to be Jesus’ hands in the world on our own hands (see inset photos). I wrote “Learn better Jesus theology,” and “Become a steward of my local stream.” The song “With Kindness” ends: Let us go now, Filled with the Spirit Into this world, With Kindness. As others have been Jesus’ hands and feet for me, I am seeking to be his hands and feet for others in creation.

Postcards from the Tour