Humiliation

Humiliation

John 19: ¹⁷ And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, ¹⁸ where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.

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Late for a meeting, I hurried to use the restroom. To my dismay, I slightly wet my light colored pants just enough for it to be visible. “You have got to be kidding me!” I shouted. In haste, I grabbed paper towels and wet them, trying to get rid of the drops on my trousers. I made it look like I had just bypassed using the toilet at all. My pants were wet and I had to go to the meeting.

• Sometimes I feel humiliated.
• Sometimes I feel embarrassed.
• Sometimes I feel like everyone is going to laugh or have a negative opinion of me.

JESUS was forced to carry HIS cross in front of everyone so HE could be humiliated. To add further embarrassment, HE was placed in the middle of two criminals, drawing attention to HIM as being the largest offender. HE had to go on the cross.

• JESUS faced humiliation from many just for me.
• JESUS faced embarrassment just for me.
• JESUS faced a painful death just for me.

Humiliation never feels good. BUT GOD went through it as an example to HIS followers. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of ME. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

JESUS gives me another way to look at the insults and embarrassing situations. HE tells me to persevere when I am insulted because I am trying to teach or preach about HIM. Looking forward to HIS reward calms the sting of the embarrassment.

• Have you been insulted because of your relationship with GOD?
• Have people pulled away from you because you are trying to speak about JESUS?
• Will you persevere, looking forward to the reward GOD has for you?