For They Know Not What They Do

“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Upon a cross, Jesus said these words as he looked out over his executioners

At those who mocked his existence

At those who condemned his teachings

There he hung dying at their hands, and yet there he pleaded for their forgiveness of their hands and their lands

Who does that?

Who prays for his enemy?

Who turns the other cheek?

Who dies that they may live?

He must be crazy.

Or… maybe he was the one that knew the truth.

The one that truly knew love.

The one that understood the cost of love.

The one that knew something that his accusers didn’t.

That the very thing they thought was right was really wrong

That the very thing that they thought would destroy a movement started one instead

And as he sits enthroned in heaven, I wonder…

How many times he continues to pray that prayer to God about us…

“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

In an age where opinions and words run rampant

Where political correctness is valued over moral rightness

Where which side you’re on is more important than who you are following

Where a statement can be your demise or a picture can ruin a life

What have we become?

Where the individual is held supreme over community

Where pleasure is more diligently sought than peace and purity

Where love has more to do with lust than sacrifice

What have we become?

From the moment sin entered our existence, we have been walking blind, unaware of the pain we place on ourselves. This corruption of the created order has steadily and exponentially progressed to this very moment.

Today we see division over restaurants, foods and politicians. We see strife over money, websites and statuses. We see hatred over cultures, skin color and religion.

We are provoked to take sides and to demonize others. We are pressured to rightfully fight for our independence. We are persuaded that radical protests is love and passivity is tolerance.

I’m not a political activist nor do I aspire to be one. But can we admit that our actions are messed up? Instead of turning the cheek, we throw our fists. Instead of praying for our enemies, we beat down and back stab.

What happened to those that interceded and sacrificed for their neighbor?

What happened to those that gave up individuality for the sake of the community?

What happened to those that believed in Jeremiah 29 1 through 10 , not just verse 11?

The more diligently we seek independence, the more we divide.

The more we choose sides, the less we realize:

No one is righteous before God.

Not one.

We all are sinners.

We all stand on the same side.

We all are in need of forgiveness, salvation, and grace.

Let’s look to his example.

Let’s stand in the gap.

Let’s turn the other cheek.

Let’s stop throwing stones.

Let’s seek out His and His glory alone.