Jesus Wasn’t a Nice Guy—He Was Something Greater
- oakunderthemoon
- Mar 11, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 22, 2025
Many spiritual seekers believe they must embody love, light, and niceness. They think spirituality means being agreeable, avoiding conflict, and keeping the peace at all costs. But is that what true love really looks like?
Jesus wasn’t a nice guy. He flipped tables in the temple. He called out hypocrisy. He made people uncomfortable, furious, even.
In Matthew 10:34, he says:
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
This isn’t the meek, docile Jesus many imagine. But this doesn’t mean he was cruel or ruthless either, it means he prioritized truth over comfort, love over approval, and courage over compliance.
The Problem With Niceness in Spirituality
The world often equates niceness with goodness, but they are not the same.
• Niceness avoids discomfort—kindness stands firm with integrity.
• Niceness submits to keep the peace—kindness knows when to say “enough.”
Niceness is about keeping up appearances. It often comes from fear—fear of rejection, fear of judgment, fear of standing alone. But kindness comes from strength. It is rooted in genuine love, even when that love requires setting boundaries, speaking up, or disrupting the status quo.
When Jesus overturned the tables in the temple (Matthew 21:12-13), he wasn’t throwing a tantrum, he was defending the sacred. His actions weren’t about vengeance; they were about righteous action.
What “Turn the Other Cheek” of Jesus Really Means
One of the most misunderstood teachings of Jesus is the idea of turning the other cheek. Many take this to mean passive submission, that if someone harms you, you should let them do it again.
But that’s not what Jesus was saying.
In the historical and cultural context of his time, a slap on the right cheek was a backhanded slap; a gesture of insult and humiliation. Turning the other cheek wasn’t about inviting more harm; it was about reclaiming dignity.
To turn the other cheek meant refusing to retaliate with violence while also refusing to be degraded. It was a defiant stance, saying, “I will not fight you, but I also will not be your victim.”
This is the balance of strength and love. It’s not about being passive; it’s about holding your ground with wisdom.
Love Without Strength Is Weak—Strength Without Love Is Cold
True spiritual mastery integrates both love and strength.
• Love without strength becomes people-pleasing, avoidance, and passivity.
• Strength without love becomes harsh, forceful, and disconnected.
• But when love and strength work together, they create transformation.
Jesus was kind, but he was not “nice.” He didn’t conform, placate, or tiptoe around the truth. He embodied fierce, unwavering love; love that heals, love that challenges, love that awakens.
Living This Balance in Our Own Lives
If we are to walk the path of true spiritual growth, we must embrace both compassion and courage, softness and strength.
1. Speak the Truth with Love – Honesty doesn’t have to be cruel, but it also doesn’t have to be sugarcoated. Can you be truthful without being harsh? Can you stand firm without arrogance?
2. Set Boundaries with Strength – Love is not about tolerating harm. Protect your energy, honor your truth, and remember that saying “no” can be the most loving act.
3. Trust That Awakening Will Disrupt – Truth shakes things up. Growth is uncomfortable. Not everyone will understand your path, and that’s okay.
4. Own Your Power Without Fear – Strength is not the absence of love, it is the container that allows love to exist fully.
Related: The Power and Importance of Humility
Related: The Philosophy of Confidence
Final Reflections
Spirituality is not about choosing between love or strength. It is about integrating them.
Jesus was not just gentle—he was bold. He was not just peaceful—he was a force of change. If we are to truly embody divine love, we must be willing to hold both the warmth of love and the fire of truth.
The world doesn’t just need more niceness. It needs more truth, spoken with love, and unwavering strength.
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