Are we too busy with our lives
to attend to the people in our lives?
Luke 23:26-32
"As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women. But Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are coming when they will say, ‘Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.’ People will beg the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and plead with the hills, ‘Bury us.’ For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?'
Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him."
Jesus had been arrested, convicted and sentenced. He was facing the cross; His darkest hour.
Yet, He took the time to speak to those who wept and mourned for Him.
John 19:25-27
"Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home."
Jesus, hanging on the cross, enduring great physical pain, took notice of those He loved.
And while in that pain, He made provision for them.
Luke 23:39-43
"One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”
But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Jesus, about to render His Spirit back to heaven, looks upon a man with compassion.
Not only compassion, but forgiveness. While hanging on the cross, taking on the sins of this man, Jesus forgives him and promises him a place in heaven!
OH! I want to be more like JESUS!
