by Beth Kucera

Every once in a while, I take a turn at using my limited retail selling skills and work a day as a floor walker in the shop in which we sell antiques. It is an established antique store that contains a-little-bit-of-this-and-that. The shop owners like to have dealers staff the shop and I enjoy the odd day out to take my turn wandering from floor to floor to help customers, open display cases and wrap purchases as needed.

Recently while I was wandering around, a customer walked up to me and simply said, "Got any Jesus?"

That was it. I suppose being a preacher's kid and enthusiastic church volunteer—a more theologically based and creative answer should have immediately come to mind—instead I stared blankly and replied, "Pardon me?"

"Jesus, JESUS—you know THE Jesus—I buy vintage framed pictures of Jesus, the Last Supper or praying or in the boat with the big storm. You know, with his arms open, you know:
J-E-S-U-S.” The fellow was agitated and impatient.

"Yes, yes, I know Jesus, well, yes, let me show you what we have," I replied. He and I headed off to look at the shop's offerings.

What he was looking for and collects are those early 20th century framed prints that used to grace many homes and Sunday School rooms—the artist renditions of Jesus at the table with his disciples or Jesus alone in the garden or Jesus with arms outstretched surrounded by little lambs and smiling. All six-feet tall of handsomeness, complete with brown naturally wavy hair, (always shampooed I might add) and blue eyes and soft pastel robes. That Jesus. All the better if these depictions are in their original frames and in good condition, with no mildew marks and not faded from the sun. The shop had one framed print, even that wasn’t in the best condition.

My insistent customer looked at what we had for sale and said, No, no, I already have THAT Jesus. I am looking for the really unusual Jesus. "

Actually, if Beth’s customer had looked more carefully at Jesus in the boat in the big storm, he would have discovered THAT Jesus Christ, the son of God, whom even the wind and waves obeyed, a unique Savior we can trust with our very lives.