Jesus - what an example

2 Peter 2:23 When he [Jesus] was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

When Jesus was taken before the various authorities during his trial, he reacted with calmness. First when he was arrested, he healed the ear that had been sliced off by one of his well-meaning disciples. When the authorities chided him, demanding that he defend himself (in order that he might prove their case against him) he stayed silent. When he was on the cross and being mocked and laughed at and challenged to come down from there, he endured quietly and with great dignity. Indeed, He even forgave others while hanging on the cross.

This is really amazing to me. I have such a hard time just allowing a minor misstatement against me to go unanswered. Jesus was in a position to defend himself with the truth, the absolute truth, not just what might be the truth based on his recollection of an event, but the absolute truth. He could have prevented them from taking him to the authorities had he wanted to. He'd gotten away from them before. He could have offered a defense while throwing blame elsewhere had he wanted to. He knew things about the these people that could have caused an uprising against the authorities had he wanted to tell. He could have hurled insults back. He could have run or fought or "just come down from there", had he wanted to.

But He didn't. He chose to be an example of grace, obedience, faithfulness. According to this scripture, he "continued to [entrust] himself to him who judges justly." Jesus made a conscious decision to entrust himself to God. It was an intentional act to entrust himself to God. He chose to be silent. He chose to endure. He entrusted himself to God.

When I feel under attack, I am likely to fight back. I am likely to use that "tone", to say things I shouldn't - that I am likely to regret, to leave the situation worse than when it began. AND it doesn't take much for me to feel under attack. I am not a horrible person but I am so far from the example that Jesus sets before me. Jesus amazes me in so many ways. This is yet another.

Jesus, I thank you and praise you for being such a remarkable example of what I should do and be. Help me get there, more closely every day. Amen.

Comments

AnonymousMarch 24, 2010 at 9:51 AM
I always wondered, what did the guard think after his ear was healed. Did he become a beliver.
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