Have you ever felt alone in a crowd? I was in that position Sunday afternoon. Literally. I was at a funeral in a church where I knew absolutely no one. There were hugs being given out all over the place, tears were being shed and I was just standing there. Alone, sad and depressed. But then something happened that change my whole outlook on things.
The crowd of black suits and formal wear parted and a lady in a light blue dress walked up to me. She was young, beautiful, maybe in her upper twenty's, blue eyes, blonde hair and a thin build. I was about to check for the angel's wings when she asked me this question. "How are YOU doing?"
That's a typical question that gets asked at a thousand funerals I guess but not when you take into account the woman who asked it. You see, she asked her "how are YOU doing" question while she was leaning on her crutches. She had no right leg.
How was I doing? How are YOU doing? Her question sucked me right out of the gloomy mood I was in and made me realize that my situation wasn't as bad as others in the world. And that's when my thoughts turned towards Jesus and what He went through on the cross.
The image we have of Jesus hanging on a cross should be what we think of whenever we go through struggles or experience pain in our lives. Jesus paid it all.
As we walk through this life we WILL have trouble. But compared to others with deeper pain and more troublesome struggles, can we truly complain?
As Jesus hung on the cross, having heard Peter deny Him three times, Jesus lifted His head and looked right at Peter as the rooster crowed.
"Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”And he went outside and wept bitterly." - Luke 22:60-62
The woman in the blue dress taught me something. No matter how bad we might feel there is always someone who has it worse. I was feeling depressed and alone yet here was someone who's outlook was great - even after losing a leg.
We might go through some struggles but are they really any worse than someone else's struggles? Are they anymore painful than the death Jesus suffered on the cross for us? I don't think so. May we remember that and let that encourage us in our walk through this world. God loves us THAT much that He sent His one and only Son to erase our debt. Jesus indeed did pay it all.
Jesus Paid It All - Fernando Ortega
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