Jesus was a Show-Off

"Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets." -- Matthew 7:12

I don't begrudge people of any faith for their beliefs, it's their personal choice to believe in whatever religion they see fit.  However at this time of year, I can't help but poke some fun at people who say that the son of God was a perfect example at how a human should behave toward his fellows.  Nobody is perfect, apparently not even Jesus; there's an old English folk song called The Bitter Withy and it goes as follows:

As it fell out on a bright holiday,
Small hail from the sky did fall,
Our Saviour asked of His mother mild
If He might go play at ball.

"At ball, at ball, my own dear Son,
It is time that you were gone,
But I don't want to hear of any doings,
Tonight when you come home.”

It was up the hill and down the hill,
Our sweet young Saviour run,
Until he met three rich young lords,
"Good morning, sirs, each one".

"Good morn, good morn, good morn," said they,
"Good morn," then said He,
"Which one of you three rich young lords
Will play at ball with me?"

"We all are lords' and ladies' sons,
Born into bower and hall,
And you are nothing but a poor maid's child
Born into an ox's stall."

"If I am naught but a poor maid's child
Born in an ox's stall,
I will make you believe at your latter end
That I'm an angel above you all."

Our Saviour built a bridge with the beams of the sun,
And over the river crossed He,
And the rich young lords they followed Him,
And drowned they were all three.

It was up the hill and down the hill,
The young lords' mothers run,
Crying: “Mary mild, fetch home your child,
For ours he's drowned each one!”

So Mary mild fetched home her child,
And laid Him across her knee,
And with a whole handful of withy twigs
She gave Him slashes three.

“Oh, withy! Oh, withy! The bitter withy
That causes me to smart!
So the withy shall be the very first tree
To perish at the heart!”

I believe that this song also has another theme: when one has power, whether financial, political, or whatever, one should learn how to use it for non-selfish reasons.  Using power selfishly always brings some form of punishment in the end.