Six Hours One Friday

This is the book I picked up when I was tagged by Shawna. It is written by Max Lucado about the last hours before Christ was crucified. The quote comes from a chapter called the Eleventh hour gift. I chose to include the whole paragraph or else it would have made no sense.

"The educated. The powerful. The rejected. The sick. The
lonely. The wealthy. Who would have ever assembled such a
crew? All they had in common were their empty hope chests, long left
vacant by the charlatans and profiteers. Though they had nothing to offer,
they asked for everything: a new birth, a second chance, a fresh start, a clean
conscience. And without exeption, their requests were honored."

The chapter goes on to discuss how a beggar on the cross next to Jesus, minutes from death sees Jesus and realizes just who He is. He was a beggar and a thief, someone who was also being crucified, but he had done the crimes for which he as accused. In the midst of pain and ridicule when others are mocking Jesus he defends the Lord. He saw Jesus for who He was and realized that what was happening and the man next to him was innocent. He saw himself for who he was and Jesus for who He was. In that instant, he aksed for mercy and in that instant mercy was granted.

I think that is the point Jesus came in love for everyone, no one was turned away. Christians today often, sadly reject people of diffrent faiths, beliefs, etc instead of loving them like Jesus would. Jesus turned no one away. What a sad world where people are turned away, riduculed, beaten up, bombed, rejected, and so much more all in the name of God. Just because we may disagree with someone on an issue is not a reason to reject them are ban them from common human decency. If I say that I am a Christian and have no love and compassion for my fellow man then what am I? I am a hypocrit. A thief on the cross saw Jesus after he had been utterly beaten, disfigured and mocked. He saw a man at his lowest point but he recognized Him for who He really was. He looked beyond the swollen, beaten face and into the eyes of a Savior. He saw not hatred, not revulsion but love and accpetance. It is time our world, in 2008, we look beyond the outer packaging of those around us into the hearts and souls of people and love them like Jesus did that day for the thief on the cross. Jesus rose above all His pain, all His suffering and saw a truly accepting, repentant heart who was sorry for having been a thief and Jesus gave him a promise. He is still giving that promise with no prerequisites, just and open, loving, accepting heart.

1. Pick up the nearest book of at least 123 pages.

2. Open the book to page 123.

I dont have 5 people to tag at the moment but will come back and edit this post when I get them.....LOL

3. Find the 5th sentence.

4. Post the next 3 sentences.

5. Tag 5 people.