He was beaten, whipped, flogged, spit on, laughed at, mocked. They gambled for his clothes while he died. If I would've been placed in his position? I would've fought back. I would've opened up a can of you know what and unleashed all my Godly justice on them.
What did Jesus do? Well, he didn't fight back. As he hung dying an AGONIZING death on the cross:
~He said - Father, forgive them (Luke 23:34)
~He ministered to his fellow cross hanging neighbor (Luke 23:40-43)
~He made sure his mother was taken care of (John 19:26)
Andy said it so well last night. When Jesus was pressed to the point of death - all that came out of him was LOVE. Love. Forgiveness. Even as he was being beaten. Even as he died. Love. Forgiveness.
After Campaigners, I scrolled Facebook and saw a video my friend Marie shared. It was an incredibly disturbing nanny cam video showing a caregiver grossly and horribly abusing a wee toddler. I thought about posting it, but it's really too graphic.
It made me want to vomit - seeing the evil displayed in such a manner. She slapped this baby girl-hard, multiple times. The baby projectile threw up and instead of caring for this sick baby, she threw her to the floor, beat her naked bottom with what looked like a hair brush, kicked her, and stepped whole weight on the baby's back multiple times before snatching and carrying her out of sight of the camera.
I just. It was horrible. Unforgivable actions. I couldn't sleep for almost an hour because my spirit was so grieved at what I saw.
Here's my four kids (pic by alifestudio.net)
The baby in the video was about the size of Micah.
As I read comments I found out that the father of the baby girl beat this Nanny until she almost died. There are reports that the baby died. I'm not sure how much of it is true, but all of the comments suggested that this Nanny needed to be shot and die a terrible death for what she did. What happens inside of someone to beat a small child like that? I just couldn't comprehend what I saw.
Then I thought about our campaigners lesson. Jesus, can people like this, who beat innocent beautiful babies deserve the forgiveness you died for? Jesus, really?
The soft whisper in my spirit. 'Yes of course'
I think it's easy for us to see others do horrible acts of pure evil and quickly speak judgement and imagine what should happen to them. I mean...we're not that bad, right?
WRONG.
Look, I have no idea why Nannies beat children or priests molest little boys or ISIS beheads Christians. Wait. Yes I do.
Sin. For we ALL sin and come short of the glory of God. Sin looks differently in me than it does in you or abusive Nannies or a pedophile Priest. Sin. Sin that needs forgiveness.
Do we forgive as Christ does? In my life? NO. I saw that video last night and was glad to read that she was beaten by the father. Did she deserve it? Of course. Does she deserve Christ's love? No, but he would freely give it to her as he would anyone else.
I am not saying that consequences, speeding tickets, and court should vanish. What I'm asking is how do we approach forgiveness? Are some people too far for Christ's reach? We say no one is all the time, but do we really believe it?
I repent from thinking some, like that Nanny, are too far gone.
Our town got dumped on again today with snow. I am SO SICK of snow!!! But, what a beautiful reminder.
Isaiah 1:18 [Full Chapter]
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
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