Would you die for your sister?
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A few weeks ago in a Walgreens parking lot I asked Cassandra who she would be willing to give her life for. She replied fairly quickly that she would for her Sister.
Now let me be honest, there is almost no one that I would give my life for, and personally I believe most people are kidding themselves when they say that they would die in the place of another.
I can understand people who give their lives in a moment of instinct, like jumping in front of a car or a bullet to try and protect another. But in those moments, I don’t know how aware the individual is that they are going to die as a result of their choices. Their desire is to protect and that protection sometimes causes death.
Knowing my beautiful wife for who she is, I am confident that she would go to great lengths to protect the people she loves. But my question to her wasn’t about protection.
So I followed up with this scenario. I said, let’s say your sister, who has eight children, was diagnosed with terminal Cancer. God invites you into a room and says something like, “Cassandra, you don’t have to, but if you want to, you can take your sisters cancer so that she will live, but you will be required to die, leaving behind your own five children and husband. Do you want to?”
This is very different from instinctual or spontaneous protection.
If taking upon us the pain and suffering of another was a genuine option, would you? Consider all the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual ailments of the people you know. Would you be depressed so that another could feel happiness? Would you lose your child and the ensuing heartbreak so that your friend might be spared? Would you live a childless life so that a sibling could have the family they always dreamed of?
Of course we don’t have the choice, but even if we did, I think so few of us would actually take up the offer to take upon ourselves the pain and suffering of another. I think it is disingenuous to say that we would. As disciples of Jesus Christ we should mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort.
I am sure you can already see where my thoughts are going. When Jesus walked into the garden that night almost two millennia ago, it wasn’t spontaneous, or due to protective instinct. Christ measured up the cost and with clear understanding bowed down and literally took all the pain, problems and punishments of His people.
When I really take the time to consider this truth, there is little to do other than stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. I don’t think I can ever comprehend what Jesus did. But I believe that he did enter that garden, hung on that cross and three days later left an empty tomb as the ultimate witness that he will and is able to right every wrong, bind up every wound, and heal every heart.
Happy Easter Week.
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