Editor's Note ‘New Jesus Bobbleheads’ By Darcy L. Fargo

December 15, 2021

Between spam, marketing, personal correspondence and work, it’s not uncommon for me to receive hundreds of emails per day. This email was different, though. It was the kind of subject line that stopped me in my tracks:
“Heads up – Four New Jesus Bobbleheads.”

I normally don’t open marketing emails, but this one got me. I had to learn more about the Jesus bobbleheads.
As the subject line indicated, there are four versions – full size, mantle, ornament and miniature. They’re made by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame (who knew that was a thing?).

Oxford Languages defines a bobblehead as “a figurine with a disproportionately large head mounted on a spring so that it bobs up and down, often made as a caricature of a famous person.”

While these bobbleheads don’t seem to have extremely large heads, they do seem to have the spring-loaded nod.

After reading the promotional email, I immediately thought, “why would anyone want a bobblehead Jesus?”

Then, it hit me: I have a habit of turning Jesus into a bobblehead of sorts.

When I’m facing a major decision, I generally know what I want to do or what I think is the correct course of action. It’s easy for me to think, “I feel strongly that I want to do X, so it must be what the Lord is calling me to do.”

It’s like I tap my Jesus bobblehead and get him to nod in the affirmative.

But that’s not who Jesus is, and it’s not how we’re called to follow him.

Ensuring we’re following the Lord’s will in our lives takes more than following our whims and desires. It takes prayer and discernment.

Discernment isn’t always easy. I often struggle to determine what is my will and what is God’s will. For me, when I don’t feel certainty or clarity after extensive prayer, I often find it helpful to share my uncertainty with others who are walking this faith journey with me, trusted spiritual advisors and friends. Then I pray about it some more.

And I try very hard not to turn Jesus into a bobblehead.