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²⁷ Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. ²⁸ They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, ²⁹ and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. ³⁰ They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. ³¹ After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

Matthew 27:27-31

The Romans were going to have some fun with these Jewish leaders. These people are beaten and conquered. They annoy us with strange beliefs, have rebellious uprisings – and we defeat them every time. Here’s this guy claiming He is a king? Those Jewish leaders want Jesus killed – partly out of jealousy since Jesus has become popular and threatening their authority. He’s trying to declare Himself king – so lets do it for them and show these Jewish leaders what we think of their conquered kingdom. We’ll dress Him like a king. We’ll beat him, laugh at him, give him a bloody crown, and drag him around in front of them so they can think of what we think of them.

I think almost all of us have been targets of preconceived generalizations or being made the fall guy. More vicious people love to kick a man when he’s down or ‘make examples’ of others. We have almost certainly been targets of this kind of hate: boomers, millennials, because of our skin color or gender, Christians/Jews/Muslims or other religious believers, people who follow a particular political party, immigrants, white or blue collar workers, people from other countries, people who do certain jobs. Oh – you think you’re immune from bigotry towards others? I’ve met self-proclaimed ‘compassionate’ people that mocked those that died in the Titan sub implosion because they were just a bunch of rich people, or would be glad to see politician X dead – because they are ‘wrong’ and I have a right to physically attack people who are ‘wrong’. Ask what you think of people and leaders in the political party least aligned to your worldview. Is it all vitriol and hate? Do you acknowledge evil, but yet can see past sin to the child of God trying to get out? Are you sitting as judge over them?

I reflected on my attitudes towards others.

I thankfully didn’t experience any direct examples of people mocking or taking advantage of my predicament but I bet we’ve all met people that couldn’t care less if their parent, a coworker, an acquaintance, or public figure was seriously ill. Some hate others so much they can’t wait for the day – and some even tell them so. Business partners or competitors might use our weaknesses and illnesses as an opportunity. Climbing coworkers might try to squeeze you out to get ahead during your illness. Am I one of those people?

How do we treat others – especially those we disagree with politically, in our families, in our friends and coworkers, in society? Am I guilty of ‘making an example’ of someone by my daily attitudes/actions or placing stumbling blocks in other’s way? Do I help the new coworker, the homeless, widow, or stranger outside my door – or mock or spit on them? Do I harbor anger towards people of a political persuasion? It is not my job to judge. Jesus tells me it is my job simply to preach the Truth, invite always, and let God do the judging. When we judge others – we become hypocrites because we have plenty of sin in our own lives. We have the mission to go and preach to all nations – leave the judging to God.

I reflected on my close relationships.

I do regularly connected with friends and loved ones over dinners, happy hours, and phone calls for those more distant ones. I’m grateful for my family and friends – and thankful for the time they took to listen/etc. If we live a life of loving others, we collect a family of love. The more hard we are in our judgement of others, the more we simply spend time on ourselves, the smaller that family of love is.

God is trying to build a family of love with us and all those around us: family, friends, coworkers, people we meet in the street. Are we trying to be a living member? Doing our part? Spending time together?

Is there anyone I had not made amends with? Harboring old hurts? Grudges? Anger? I try to remind myself that anyone, maybe everyone, I meet during even the smallest part of the day could be someone I’m about to spend eternity with in Heaven.

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder,^[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ ²² But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister^[b][c] will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’^[d] is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

²³ “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

Matthew 5:21-23

There can be absolutely no evil (grudges, hate, anger, sore feelings, etc) between them and myself. Time to hit confession, reach out, and be reconciled. Time to re-evaluate those that anger me in my day and my attitudes towards them.

Lord, help me to see and correct when I put a crown of thorns on others because of hurts or disagreements. Help me root out my own bigotry and pre-conceptions of others. Instead, make me a channel and example of love and conversion for all.