Heaping Insults

Now the men who were holding Jesus began to mock him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and kept asking him, "Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?" They kept heaping many other insults on him. When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together, and they brought him to their council. They said, "If you are the Messiah, tell us." He replied, "If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I question you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God." All of them asked, "Are you, then, the Son of God?" He said to them, "You say that I am." Then they said, "What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!" Luke 22:63-71 

There are part of General Convention I love and parts I do not. When we deliberate issues, and there is a minority opinion, people can often be unnecessarily unkind. There is a victorious righteousness that can creep in, and move people for thoughtful Christians to cruel beasts. Gloating and the like have no place in prayerful deliberations. I often sit and pray while we are debating, that God will find a way to touch our hearts with compassion, rather than bravado, which seems so evident.

The soldiers are having a field day with Jesus. They have been given permission to abuse him and they are reveling in their short term authority. It is human nature for the smallness of our hearts to come out when given permission. We either strike out in fear or run away. The soldiers were safe in their mocking as they had the upper hand for a moment. Jesus went to the cross for them as well. He went for the petty as well as the kind and faithful. We have an invitation to be more than our base humanity today.

Today I ask God to help me hold those I disagree with, those who would harm me and those who find themselves in the minority in prayer. May we understand our baser urges and faithfully invite Christ into every one of our moments. May we have compassion on those who are broken by life and lend a hadn to lift them up.