Recently we sat in a group of people we didn’t know and took part in a “get to know you” exercise suggested by our hostess. The group consisted of around a dozen married couples. Each lady was asked to stand up and share where they met their husband, how long they dated before getting married, how long they had been married, and a one-word description of their spouse. The husbands had it a bit tougher. They had to answer the question, “What attracted you to your wife?” as well as share a one-word description.

We laughed a lot through this exercise, but it was sweet to hear the affection and love expressed as we each overcame our self-consciousness and revealed a bit of our hearts for that special person we’ve spent a lifetime getting to know.

It’s easy to state the bare facts about one another, but it is far more awkward and uncomfortable to share personal feelings that we don’t often articulate in public and may not have even thought much about.

As I pondered the evening, it occurred to me it is a great illustration of how we ought to share the gospel. As His followers, we are in a covenant relationship, not with an ideology or a theology, but with a Person. It may seem awkward at first to describe what drew us to Jesus. What was it about Him, His story, His attributes, and His character that made Him attractive to us? How did we enter this relationship? How long did He woo us and court us? When did that final surrender—our spiritual “I do”—take place? And if we had to describe our Savior in one word to those who do not know Him at all, what word would we use?

Of course, we can’t “sum up” Jesus in one word, no more than sharing a one-word description of our spouse could cover all the things we love about them. But perhaps it would be a good start as we think about how to communicate to our friends and loved ones why we follow Jesus, and why we love Him so!

Here are just a few things Jesus said about Himself. Which of them resonates with you in a personal way?

I am the bread of life.

John 6:35 – Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.

Jesus satisfies our spiritual hunger. Later in this same chapter, He goes on to say that He is the living bread that came down from heaven and that all who partake of His flesh (receive Him as the payment for sin) will live forever. We hunger for many things in our flesh and our souls, but only Jesus satisfies the hunger of our spirit for the food that gives us eternal life.

Has Jesus satisfied your hunger? Then you know Him as the bread of life.

I am the light of the world.

John 8:12 – Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

Light exposes and dispels darkness. In scripture, light and dark represent good and evil. Before we came to Christ, we walked in darkness (Ephesians 2), but He opened our eyes to allow us to see truth—the truth about ourselves and our sinful condition, and the truth of the gospel that provides a solution for our sin. In John 9:5, Jesus says, “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world” and in Matthew 5:14 He tells His disciples, “You are the light of the world.” Years later, Paul will remind the believers that they “were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord” and therefore should “walk as children of Light” (Ephesians 5:8). Jesus never ceases to be the Light. Although He returned to heaven in His physical, glorified body, He remains in this world through the Holy Spirit who indwells us with his light. Now, we walk in light, dispelling the darkness around us with the Light of Christ.

Has Jesus revealed truth to you, enlightening your mind and your heart? Then you know Him as the light of the world.

I am the good shepherd.

John 10:10 – I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

The analogy of sheep and shepherd is a beautiful picture of God’s love and care for His people. Did He create the sheep in such a way knowing they would be a perfect picture of the willful and stubborn nature of the human race? I have to think so, for God knows all things at all times. As He spoke those wooly creatures into existence, I have to think He had a bit of a sense of humor, knowing that one day His Son would use them as an illustration. Sheep get lost easily; they tend to stray. Sheep need to stay close to the shepherd for their own safety. Sheep have a herd instinct, and will follow the crowd right over the cliff were it not for the wisdom and protection of the shepherd. Sheep learn their shepherd’s voice and trust him.

Jesus is the good shepherd who not only calls, feeds, and protects His sheep (His followers), but He lays down His life for them. He stands between us and the wolf at the door that would consume and kill and destroy us. And as the good shepherd, He sees every one of His sheep as precious and valuable. When we go astray, He goes after the lost one until He finds it. And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. In fact, all of heaven rejoices over the lamb that is returned to the fold (Luke 15:3-7)!

Has Jesus the Good Shepherd come after you? He already laid down His life for you. If you’re one of His sheep, then you know Him as the good shepherd.

There are many other descriptions of Jesus in scripture.

I am the door.

I am the true vine.

I am the resurrection.

I am the way.

I am the truth.

I am the life.

What word will you use to describe your relationship with Jesus?

Leave a comment below and share how Jesus has revealed Himself to you.