Monday, December 6, 2010

Rude and Forbidding

"The King of glory stooped low to take humanity. Rude and forbidding were His earthly surroundings. His glory was veiled, that the majesty of His outward form might not become an object of attraction. He shunned all outward display. Riches, worldly honor, and human greatness can never save a soul from death."
 The Desire of Ages, pg 43
After my fair share of what sure seemed at the moment to be  rude and forbidding situations, this quote lifted my spirits. I realize I have experienced next to no rudeness in my life, compared to Jesus...
It breaks my heart, seeing individuals being treated unfairly and unjustly, especially when a loved one is passing, or they themselves are.

I left a certain place today feeling the burden of rudeness and unjustness towards me and other folks oppresive, and almost inferior or somehow guilty because of it. But this quote helped me realize that there is diginity even in that. Jesus truly stooped low to allow His name and character, His very Person, to be so unjustly treated and ill spoken of, all for the sake of those very people who were tearing His heart apart-- He brought honor to even the lowliest of circumstances.
After reading the above quote, I don't feel half as bad about the difficult and oppressive circumstances from today. I feel privilged to have been allowed to experience a tiny fraction of the pain Jesus must have felt when He Himself was unfairly and unjustly treated, and most of all, I never want to forget the intense heartache I experienced when I saw the helpless ones, the weak ones, ill spoken of, mocked, and maybe worst of all, neglected.
Lord help me to never ever, ever allow any cruel or unkind feelings back into my heart... I know they every once in a while find  an abode in it, but after feeling that dark slimy worm of coldness, disdain and cruelty from someones elses actions towards me and others  slither into the pit of my stomach, and nearly suffocate my heart with its hostility and hardness, I am determined. No hardness, no dark slimy worm of evil will find its way into my heart, with Gods help.
And only with His help. On my own, I know too well that I am just as cold and hard-hearted as that dark, slimy worm.

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