Mocking
As a rule, I don’t like to mock others. I’m embarrassed to admit that I did make fun of others when I was a kid. I deeply regret that behavior because now I see how horrible it was. I’ve grown to respect other human beings even when I don’t understand their thinking or their behavior. I am trying to see the image of God in every human. I admit that it’s not always easy.
Jesus was on trial on baseless charges. The Romans hated the Jews and treated them with contempt. The Jews were not treated as human among the Roman soldiers and leaders. It shouldn’t surprise me to see Jesus treated with contempt and mockery at the hands of the Romans. Check this out…
27 Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. 31 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. (Matthew 27:27-31 NLT)
The soldiers were having a little fun and blowing off a little steam by picking on Jesus, a Jewish prisoner, condemned to die.
As I read this paragraph, I’m incensed at the One and Only Son of God being treated this way. They were doing what they always did. But this is not just any other prisoner.
I know that this was all part of God’s plan for redeeming the world, but it’s still hard to imagine the humiliation and the lack of human decency in which Jesus was subjected to.
The more I study the life of Jesus, the more I realize that He was on a mission to redeem people just like the ones mocking and insulting Him. I also must come to terms with the times that I’ve mocked Him with my behavior, my disobedience – my sin.
I’m so thankful for His grace.
I’m so thankful for His forgiveness.
I’m so thankful for the heart change that He’s done in me. I’m still growing and learning to love and respect people of all colors, shapes, sizes, ethnicity, socio-economic status – all people. Jesus loves all and wants me to love all too.
Pressing On!
Dwayne