A Difference in Attitude...the Wayfarer

A Difference in Attitude

Luke 23:28-43

King James Version (KJV)

²⁸ But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

²⁹ For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.

³⁰ Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.

³¹ For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

³² And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

³³ And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

³⁴ Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

³⁵ And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

³⁶ And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,

³⁷ And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

³⁸ And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, This Is The King Of The Jews.

³⁹ And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

⁴⁰ But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

⁴¹ And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

⁴² And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

⁴³ And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Jesus, being led to the place of His crucifixion, asked no compassion for Himself from those following that showed that compassion, rather gave compassion for what was to come for those holding that compassion, and even more importantly for those holding no compassion for any.

From the cross, that same compassion was given evidence, as forgiveness was asked for those ignorant of the depth and breadth of that lack of compassion.

From that same cross mercy and grace was shown as the message preached throughout His ministry was heard, heeded and seen for the means of salvation that it was and is for ALL willing to accept it.

The promise made from that cross came through the comprehension and belief of that message, and the realization of the fact that it could only be delivered through the means of its delivery.

Two distinct and different attitudes that were the core of the two individuals holding them were shown.

Two sides of man were revealed in totality, as one chose to recognize the purity and righteousness of Christ, and his own lack of any righteousness, while recognizing that the purity and righteousness of Christ Jesus, and the sacrifice being given were sufficient to compensate for that lack that lay within himself.

The other side shown was that inherent in all, propagated by the vast majority still trusting only in their own capability while deriding the Omnipotence of their very Creator.

Both faced an end of physical life, having arrived at that end through their refusal to accept the confines of the laws of that Creator, and the laws established by their own kind to keep their base desires and actions in check to preserve the existence of their kind.

Both continued to exhibit the exercise of the free will granted them before being born, but in far different manners, in expectation of far different goals.

While one chose to rail and mock the Son of God, demanding proof of His Deity, even in the face of death itself, the other saw the proof of that Deity in the innocence and sacrifice of that innocence being given.

The two sides of men exhibited that day, continue to be exhibited through the actions and words of those who follow, the paths chosen to follow, the goals chosen for attainment that direct those paths.

Each time disaster strikes, those very different attributes, those polar opposite actions, those ideas held as belief come to the fore.

The news lauds the cooperation, compassion, and efforts expended on behalf of the helpless, the hope given the hopeless, the empathy shown and selflessness that provides that hope.

Unfortunately it also lauds the opposite side of the nature of those looting, gouging in provision of what is required to sustain life, and those who prey on the misery  of others, taking all that is left, concerned only with what is available to be taken, never looking to what has been given, nor what is required to be given.

That opposite side noted takes form, not only in the obvious thieves, but in the actions of those defrauding the ones who would choose to help, as well as those in need of that help.

Paths chosen are paths followed, both lead to eternity, both lead to a grave that holds no room for anything physical to accompany, or be of use in a life that begins at the end of the tenuous thread that held this creature called man for such a short time.

What does accompany that puny creature is the decision made as to which path to take, which destination has been chosen, and whether his perception of himself is the same as the perception of his Creator.

 Matthew 10:32-33

King James Version (KJV)

³² Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

³³ But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

There is no middle ground, no middle path, no excuse that is viable once that destination is reached.

Attitude exhibited, choice made to believe, or to remain unbelieving, to seek redemption through repentance, or to refuse that repentance  remain undeniable, as will that destination itself.

Grace was shown, mercy extended that day from the cross, destination determined and arrived at by both of those crucified with Jesus. Only one chose to accept that grace, only one accepted the offered mercy... so it remains for those who follow making the choices of one or the other.

Amen and Amen

the Wayfarer