Mockery and Mercy

I haven't been taking as many pictures lately, if you haven't noticed. BUT, I have with my heart. Not that that entertains you.


Well, about a week ago, I was reading through the book of Mark. I was in chapter 15, reading about when the guards mocked Jesus as they put a crown and robe on him, and they cried out "Hail, King of the Jews." I really felt the Lord ask me to focus on that for a few minutes. Honestly, I was staring at it thinking that I didn't feel like crying. Wow. I'm not always so wise with the Holy Spirit.


That night, I get an email from a guy in my class (which I found out that he actually sent it to me on accident) about that EXACT verse. He was talking about how it struck him, the cruelty of the mockery of Jesus. So, we both thought that was kind of wild that the Lord had asked both of us to specifically meditate on that verse.


As I progressed through the New Testament, I found myself in Luke 22 & 23. In Luke's version of the mocking of Jesus, it really struck me. The Holy Spirit said this to me, "Mockery is the epitome of darkness." I was flooded with how cruel mockery really is. It is so invasive, wounding, rejecting, it shuts hearts down, it provokes to anger (which Jesus did not respond to), it brings insecurity and worthlessness. Mockery is the degradation and utter destruction of a human soul. It kills confidence, tears down your identity, and ultimately your heart. Mockery is not 'just having a little fun.' It's powerful. And isn't that was sarcasm is, too?


Then a little further into the story, when Jesus is sent from Pilate, to Herod, and back to Pilate, I found this one verse that struck me to the core. Herod and his soldiers were mocking Jesus, put a robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate. Luke 23:11-12, "Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. (Here is what shocked me) That day Herod and Pilate became friends-before this they had been enemies."


Wow. The epitome of darkness, mockery, bonded into friendship former enemies. And what was Jesus' response to face-to-face assault on his identity? "Father, forgive them, for they NOT what they are doing."


A day after that, I was sitting at the Higher Grounds Cafe, preparing for the Pure Heart program that night. There was a table behind me of guys who were hanging out. They started having a loud conversation about the Pure Heart program. One guy said in a mocking voice "Darn, I wish I could go to Pure Heart tonight," and the table exploded in laughter. They started making some comments about the week before, and I felt myself want to make a comment about how it wasn't really cool to be saying those things. But, the Lord wouldn't let me. Instead, He showed me how during last week's program, I actually felt the same way these guys did, I just didn't say anything. Somehow in my puny brain, I thought that by not saying something it was okay. Nope. The Lord really dealt with me in that moment, and He is, mercifully, showing me how I mock a lot of things in my heart, and that I tend to be self-righteous when I don't say them out loud. I was stunned, but I feel radically different, and more free! I don't want the epitome of darkness unexposed in my heart. The Lord showed me something very interesting about that. He showed me that had I joined in that conversation, this could have been said about me, "That day, Katie and (group of guys) became friends." Ouch. Thank you Holy Spirit for stopping me. Thank you Jesus for forgiving me.