Robinson Jeffers was a poet who lived in Big Sur, California in the 20th Century.  He wrote in one of his poems we are influenced by our experience.  He went so far as to say the locales in which Jesus lived became integral to who he was.

At the time, I didn’t agree with Jeffers, but Bob Farina helped me swallow it by saying something like, “Even Jesus was touched by his environment and was changed by it.”

‘Boy, ain’t that the truth.’ I thought to myself.

Sometimes I quote someone I don’t completely agree with in order to have others critique it.  Forty years later, I agree more with Jeffers and Farina than the seventeen-year old born-again John Rubens. I sincerely don’t know if that’s good or bad.

Jesus’ name means one who saves.  He gave his life.