Choosing love, not cruelty!

Reflecting on Mark 15:16-20

"Hail, king of the Jews!" (Mark 15:18)

What has become of humanity, that we would treat others like this?
How can people sometimes be so cruel to others.
When I think of my childhood, there were a few kids that I teased.
I was a scrawny weakling, but I hung out with two big guys.
Unfortunately some kids bore the brunt of our cruelty.
This behaviour was not forced out of me, it came naturally.
This is not how I am now, but I credit that to grace working in me.

No one likes being treated like this.
And yet when put in positions of power, many still behave this way.
They bolster their own strength by picking on the weakness of others.
These soldiers had the advantage, the power, and they used it.
It was easy to mock someone like Jesus who claimed to be king.
The Jews were viewed as dogs, under the Roman boot.
This dog was pretending to be king – easy to mock.
And Jesus was not a strong king, but a pathetic weakling.
All His niceness and goodness, His quiet humble way.
Jesus was a runt, an easy target for the bigger ones.

We are all God’s children, made to live and love like Jesus.
If love is the summary of the Law, cruelty is its opposite.
God’s will is not a list of arbitrary rules.
God’s will is that we not be jerks, that we not abuse or use others.
Sin is when we demean or damage others, treating them as less than us.
If we want to be like our Father in heaven, we need to be generous.
In this scene, only Jesus refuses to be cruel and unloving.

Jesus does not choose to be weak, or to be a doormat.
Jesus consistently chooses the way of love, of kindness.
It is because others don’t choose that way that He suffers.
Choosing to be God-like will bless some, but it will irritate others.
Especially those who are self-serving, who use strength to elevate themselves.
As Jesus followers, we are to choose love, not weakness.
Choosing love is seen as weak, but it is not; it is the power of God.
It is weakness to not choose love.

You don’t need to be a christian to know bullying and cruelty are wrong.
But christians of all people should know that such cruel mockery is wrong.
Which is why I am mystified how christians can promote Trump.
Listen to how he speaks about his opponents.
The way he mocks others, uses names and insults to shame them.
Let me be clear: this is not Christ-like, this is anti-Christ.
Regardless of whether some of his policies are better or not.
The ends never justifies the means.
Jesus had the best policies ever, yet did not resort to bullying.
If people really knew Jesus, they would speak out against such behaviour.
We are not called to win politically, or to make our nation great again.
We are called to humble, gracious love, to follow the Jesus Way.
We choose love, not weakness, because we know it is the power of God.

When I read this scene of how the soldiers treat Jesus, my heart breaks.
What has become of humanity, that we would treat others like this?
How can people sometimes be so cruel to others.
I feel the same way when I see how people are treating each other today.
But the worst for me, what sickens me most, is when christians do this.
Or if not doing it, honouring or welcoming it in their leaders.
Name-calling, ridiculing the weakness of others – this is anti-Christ.
Whatever is done to others, is done to Jesus (Matthew 25:31-46).
Even if it is supposedly done for God, it is against God.

As christians, we need to stop imitating the Pharisees and the Romans.
Jesus is God’s Messiah, and He overcomes the cruelty of sin by love.
He is our pattern, our way, the only true way to live.
We choose love, not weakness.
If others abuse it or ridicule us for it, it is because they are weak.
It is their failure to love that leads them to shame those who love.
As Jesus followers, we have a choice.
Will we choose the Jesus way of love, even if we’re accused of being weak?
Will we choose the Jesus way of love, even if it leads to hardship?
Will we choose the Jesus way of love, even if we are mocked and ridiculed?

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, Your way seems weak, but it is the power of God, the way You overcame evil and received the crown. Forgive us Lord when we imitate the Pharisee or the Roman way of strength, by pushing others down. I want to be a Jesus-follower, I want to choose the way of love.