Inside Out
For many of us, the Jesus stories are oh-so-familiar: Jesus turned water into wine, calmed storms with a word, and walked on water like it was a casual stroll. But did you know that Jesus was also the most emotionally intelligent person who ever lived?
That’s the premise of Roy Oswald and Arland Jacobson’s 2015 book The Emotional Intelligence of Jesus, which explores how Jesus embodied the very definition of emotional intelligence: "the ability to control one's emotions -- not to put a damper on them, but to use emotions constructively to achieve desired goals and to form strong, positive relationships." Long before Daniel Goleman popularized the term “EQ” in the 1990s, Jesus was already living it out in ways that attracted crowds and made his enemies fume.
"Many people, including some in church leadership positions, are out of touch with their own emotions," the authors write. "What we are not aware of we cannot control."
Consider the following snapshots from the Gospels that Oswald and Jacobson highlight in their book:
Compassion: Jesus was “moved to act when he saw hurting crowds” (Matthew 9:36).
Anger: Jesus directed his anger at hardened hearts and injustice, not at people’s weaknesses (Mark 3:5).
Joy: Jesus celebrated God’s work with childlike delight (Luke 10:21).
Grief: Jesus wept openly with friends (John 11:35).
Anxiety: In Gethsemane, Jesus sweated drops of blood -- yet still chose obedience (Luke 22:44).
As Oswald and Jacobson write, “Jesus integrated emotions into his daily life and ministry in ways that gave depth, direction, and healing to those around him.” That is the heart of emotional intelligence: not denying emotions, but using them faithfully.
Our “Inside Out” sermon series -- which kicked off this past Sunday and continues for 11 more weeks -- will trace these moments, showing how Jesus’ emotional life is not just inspiring but instructive. We are invited to follow his lead: to notice what stirs in our own hearts, to bring it into God’s light, and to let our emotions shape us toward love rather than away from it.
The Apostle Paul put it this way: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). In other words, don’t just admire Jesus’ emotional life -- practice it.
So this week, here is our challenge: When you feel compassion, act on it; when you feel anger, aim it at injustice; when you feel joy, celebrate God’s work; when you feel grief, share it; and when you feel anxiety, entrust it to the One who has already walked that road.
Emotional intelligence is not just a leadership buzzword. For Jesus, it was a way of changing the world ... from the inside out.