The Sting Of Humiliation

"And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe. Then they said, 'Hail, King of the Jews!' And they struck him with their hands." John 19:2 Humiliation. What is harder to bear than humiliation? The soldiers put a crown on his head, a crown they wove out of thorns, mocking the crown of a King. Then they laughed at him and slapped him and shamed him. Have you been humiliated? Has someone mocked you, laughed at you, used hateful words against you? Then you know how it feels, even though you aren't the King of the universe. Consider the humility of Jesus Christ. He allowed them to humiliate him this way, men whom he actually had created. And why did he remain silent before them? Because it was planned. The Father sent his Son to bear our iniquities and carry our sorrows. In our place. "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities..." Isaiah 53:4-5 This is the ultimate example of love, that a King would submit to abuse and then forfeit his life for the likes of us. Jesus didn't need to do that, he lacks nothing, he doesn't need us, he could have left us to our fate. Think on this deeply until you get a true picture in your mind of the extent Jesus went to in order to secure our salvation. What it cost him. And yet today, after all that he did, he is still mocked and scorned. Why is that? It's because there is another being ruling over the minds and hearts of men. Jesus himself told us about this enemy whose entire mindset is to destroy us: "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10 As long as the believer walks with Jesus Christ, the enemy will seek to destroy the believer and if he's not able to do that, he'll persecute him. Persecution comes in many ways and humiliation is a prime one. Satan delights to see a believer suffer rejection and shame. Let us therefore follow the example of Jesus and not fight back. Who knows but that some of those soldiers who so mistreated Jesus may have ended up becoming believers when Jesus rose from the dead? Who knows what your good example in the face of rejection might produce in an unbeliever watching you? There is ALWAYS a reward for obedience. Be willing therefore, to take up your cross and follow him. "Then he said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23 What is a cross? It's where a person dies. It's what we bear as we are hated because we walk with Christ. It's what we accept, knowing it's what all believers experience. Be willing to follow Jesus's example. Be willing to suffer whatever comes against you no matter how stinging it is, or how humiliating the words against you. Do not resist, knowing that as you follow Jesus, your life will also end up in victory. Jesus lost nothing by submitting to the Cross, but received great gain in the multitudes who are saved now because of it. And we will also lose nothing by taking up our cross and following him. ..." rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when his glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you." 1st Peter 4:13-14