Good Friday: KevinH

Today we observe Good Friday, remembering Jesus’ death on the cross.

On Sunday we observe Easter, celebrating Jesus’ triumph over death.

All the more, for those of us who are Christians in a hyper-partisan political America, it would do us well to seriously remember and reflect on the example and words of Jesus.

May we remember that Jesus achieved victory by laying down his life and dying.

May we remember that Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, which was an act of service, humility, and even humiliation.

May we remember that when Jesus was insulted, He did not give insults in return, and when He suffered, He did not threaten in return.

May we remember that Jesus said the first shall be last and last shall be first.

May we remember that Jesus said that His Kingdom is not of this world and that is why his followers do not fight for Him.

May we remember that Jesus said blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers.

May we remember that Jesus said we should love our enemies and pray for them.

May we remember that Jesus taught us that when someone forces us to walk a mile with them, we should walk with them two.

May we remember who Jesus taught us that our neighbor is, and that caring for the “least of these” is doing it unto Him.

May we remember that when Jesus triumphantly entered into Jerusalem, He made zero effort to take down or even criticize the ungodly Roman Empire, but instead angrily drove out people of His own who were corrupting God’s Temple.

May we remember that Jesus reserved His most scathing denunciation for the hypocritical and corrupt religious leaders of His own people, and not for the sinners of the world or the villainous Roman Empire.

If we are truly able to reflect on these things and allow them to influence how we live our lives, I would submit that not only would our personal lives be more pleasing to God, but that Christian action in the political realm would look very, very different from many of the ways it looks today.

Do we long for a King who humbly and humiliating offered Himself as a sacrifice for the welfare of others, even his enemies, or do we long for a king who through might and power and whatever means necessary will set things in place as we desire and think they should be?