Crucified and Kind

Most of us at one point or another have felt the sting of false accusations or untruths that were told about us. Even exaggerated words can feel like personal attacks on us, they are perceived as hurtful, misleading and ultimately undeserved. When this happens we usually get defensive, we lash out at those making the claims, we feel compelled and even justified to retaliate. And even with the retaliation, don't we still feel the pain of betrayal and slander long after the event has past?

And then there is Jesus; completely innocent, blameless, sinless, faultless, accused, mocked, stricken, spit upon, slapped, scourged and beaten, paraded before his accusers. While his hands and feet were tied and then nailed to a cross, his side pierced, suffocating under the weight of our sins. He takes in a breath of air and breathes out these words: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."  (Luke 23:34)

Can we just take pause and think about that for a moment. ~Jesus was Crucified and Kind~

Jesus was not alone on that day, in fact there were two others convicted and sentenced to be crucified. Scripture tells us "one of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: 'Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!' But the other criminal rebuked him. 'Don't you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.'"  (Luke 23:39-42)

You see, even when Jesus is being insulted by a criminal who had been found guilty of his crime, Jesus did not strike back or retaliate, rather he turned his attention and responded to the second man that defended him with this encouragement, saying "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."  (Luke 23:43; read the whole account in Luke 23)

Jesus will always be an advocate for forgiveness; even when being crucified he chose to forgive and remain KIND. He knew that you also would face struggles and hardship, the pain of suffering a wrong, that you would be persecuted for his namesake. And so the Son of God, Jesus, God incarnate, the Holy One came to lay his own life down, to be ridiculed, he carried our shame, to be crucified for our sins. He who was falsely accused chose not to strike back, but to rather to forgive and be kind.

So when we find ourselves being wronged in some way or coming under fire, even unjustly, let's try to be more like Jesus, looking past judgment to mercy, with a heart to forgive, and to be "Crucified and Kind".