And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34
Max said this to me, slightly differently, and it made all the difference in how I saw life. And my misery factor evaporated. I was being pummeled emotionally at old Wildcat School. Every part of my soul felt like a punching bag or the face of one of those guys in a boxing movie where I shut my eyes for a long time and hopes it goes away.
“They don’t know any better.” Something clicked into place, that the profanity and anger and deceit and apathy and cruelty were not personal, which allowed me to kick down the defensive wall I was hiding behind and I could grieve with my students, who had suffered so much from life, for their lack of understanding. It was not about me. It was about their brokenness.
Love is not about me. Love is about the loved one. And as Jesus’ arms were lifted up, in this last act of unbound love with no strings attached, he released each of us for our lack of understanding and brokenness.
While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
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