Christ-Centered: Who Would Jesus Center? WWJC? (part 1)

I was in a meeting today and someone used a term I have heard many times - "Christ-centered." Over the years I have heard lots of people use this term. They say they want their lives to be "Christ-centerd." Others use it to describe how they want there organizations to be - often in contrast to other organizations that are viewed as not being "christ-centerd."  We even sing, "Jesus, be the center." Today, as I heard that term, I wondered to myself, "Does Jesus even want to be in the center?." Put another way I asked myself "Who would Jesus put in the center? Or, Who would Jesus Center - WWJC? (hmmm, maybe that could catch on).

In Mark 3:1-6 we find this account of Jesus:

"Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus."

Ottmar Fuchs comments on this passage in his book "God's People: Instruments of Healing."  Fuchs notes: 

"Jesus takes the man with the withered hand from the periphery and places him in the center, in this case the center of the synagogue.  That is outstanding, because the center is the place where the Thora, the word of God and God himself has his place.  We are not concerned here with a mere center of locality, but a theologically determined center.  Also worthy of mention here...are his encounters with leapers, tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners.  Many parables also belong here" (1)  

If Fuchs is right, and I think he is, Jesus is always bringing those on the periphery to the center and these are most often people considered the lowest, the least, the last and the lost.  If Jesus is seeking to move to the center the types of people that our culture seeks to move to the margins shouldn't we be doing the same?  If Jesus is concerned with that type of centering we might need to change our song and sing, instead of "Jesus be the center," (insert outsider/outcast) be the center. 

Is it possible that by seeking to move Jesus to the center of our lives or our organizations we are in fact not seeking the Kingdom of God?  If we are called to be Christ-like-ones - which is what Christian means after all - we should be following after Jesus' example and seeking to move to the center the leapers, tax collectors, prostitutes, sinners, and men with withered hands in our world?  Could we be following Jesus more by seeking to center those on the margins than we would be by seeking to bring Jesus to the center?  If Jesus is willing to place a man in need of healing in the center of the synagogue, supplanting the scripture and even God himself, how far are we willing to go to bring those who are on the outside into the center?  

WWJC?

Joel K

(1)  Fuchs, Ottmar, God's People: Instruments of Healing.  Berne: Peter Lang.  1993.  Pg. 49 & 50.