“Would I Have the Strength?”

We watch recreations, movies, plays; read books, Scripture, poems- all about the crucifixion of our beloved and amazing Savior, Jesus Christ. I think of all the times I have read about the crucifixion, been told of its horrifying pain and brutal torture. Many times I was taught how Christ fulfilled Scripture by being nailed to that cross. And yet, in all of this, the part that grips me every time is His powerful words of compassion, “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

My heart breaks. I become silent. Lost in bewilderment. His words go against the grain of what our culture would have anticipated. Here is a man, an innocent man, having His life stripped from Him in the cruelest manner during the Roman Empire. His own people had betrayed him, or had at least turned their backs in not helping Him within His trial. This same man had loved them and showed his love through healing and speaking. Twelve men He had poured His wisdom and ministry into. Thousands of people had seen His beautiful miracles.

But we all know what happens. A murderer was chosen over Him. Torture was given to Him. Made to walk a path while bleeding and weak. Having a crown like that of knife blades to pierce into His gentle head filled with the wonders of creation and splendor. Men, drunk and sinful, ripping out the strong and firmly attached hairs that made His beard. Being asked questions about who He was, in a way being told to back down, but He refused, He was not to ever deny He was the Son of God. He lay upon His bare and torn back upon wood. This same wood would be His torture and His end (only for a time). The nails were then driven through His flesh, fastening Him to this cross of horror.

We can only barely imagine the pain, the sight of this inhumane treatment.

He had every right, according to the thinking of man today, to rebel, to fight, to deny, to accuse others, to speak out, to yell, to lift a weapon, to stand up, to subdue… but He did not.

He forgave.

He forgave!

Oh the beauty.

            For the past little while I have read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, please read it sometime soon within your life or reread it. The stories of how these people, the people you and I should become. Ones that did not fight back or to be heroes, but became fighters of forgiveness and compassion, heroes of faith and humility and love- these are beautiful to me.

            I began to think, “Would I have the strength?” I mean, to be one of these people? To stand in face of having done nothing wrong but loving my God and wanting to please Him and being killed or tortured for it, innocent. Could I have the strength to ask God to forgive them?

            May I fall in love with my God and my Savior in such a way that I could do nothing but that.