There was a great feeling of optimism on the day my new boss started.

She was energetic, smart, and witty. But within the first week things changed. My co-workers and I noticed she wanted to review nearly everything we did, no matter how minute. Before we knew it she turned into a control freak.

So we naturally asked the question, what’s she scared of?

There were plenty of answers: Did she feel she was promoted above her capability? Was her compensation tied to our output? Was her marriage dependent upon her success? What kinds of parental expectations was she feeling?

As the old adage goes, show me a controlling person and I’ll show you a fearful person.

Jesus frequently clashed with such people, whose fear came out in all sorts of destructive ways. And we notice that the best way he found to deal with them was not by emulating them or hitting back, but by finding security in his humanity.

Jesus knew who he was, whose he was, and constantly reminded himself of the perspective needed to remain healthy and human. Being human means embracing our limits more than fighting them. Being human means finding our deepest contentment, not in solving the mystery, but in living into it. Being human means we’re not God and should thus be content not achieving perfection.

Letting go of our urge to control begins with accepting our humanity – we know there’s a God, let her rule.