I'm about to finish Luke today, my latest favorite book of the bible. Jesus is on the cross with the 2 criminals on either side. You know the picture - you've seen the 3 crosses as you drive down the road. I was never sure if they represented Jesus and the 2 bad guys or the Trinity - contrasting the negative & the positive. But anyway, here they are, crucified, in pain - both deserving and about to die. And just like the masses today, they're split down the middle.Criminal #1 - Unbelievably railing at Jesus, "Are you not the Messiah? Rescue yourself and us from death!"
Criminal #2 - Toward Criminal #1 - "Do you not even fear God? Seeing you are sentenced to death and suffering justly; but this man has done nothing to deserve this. (Then to Jesus) Lord, remember me when you come in your Kingly glory."
How many years have I flown through this and thought, "idiot" . . . . but the Holy Spirit stopped me in my tracks today. By the realization that my current response would be the first guy's - cold, focused on myself, my situation, my pain, not looking past the moment, not seeing my guilt, not seeing another's hurts, nor begging for mercy. That's me - I can reach the same level as this guy! Oh how I want to naturally turn outward like the 2nd criminal - placing my reverence for God and acknowledgement of Christ's Kingship first, then asking for mercy.
These 2 guys represent all of us - alike in their guilt, but made different by their responses. I still need a Savior - His name is Jesus - Listen
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