They say that kids tend to be rowdy in Jr. High
School and based on my personal experience, I would agree! Not that I was bad
because I’ve always been such a good kid (insert heavenly music here). But I did
hang out with some “friends” who acted up in class just so that I could be part
of the “cool kids”.
Now the things we did in Jr. High compared to the
things kids in Jr. High do nowadays is completely different. We would do what
eventually was known as “payasearías” (clowning around – doesn’t have the same
affect in English) titled by one of our teachers. The idea was to make fun of
the teacher using mumbled words and repeating what he/she was saying while their
backs were turned to the class. This would cause an outburst of laughter and the
teacher would stay wondering what happened. Funny until you get caught.
One day while one of the
guys was doing this “payasearías”, the teacher turned around and caught him doing this. Now he was in trouble frequently and I was kinda the
teacher’s favorite due to my A average and how well I behaved in class. So I took one for the team. I told the
teacher I was the one doing the “payasearías” and my friend was simply laughing
at my jokes.
I took his
place for his actions trying to establish a relationship with
him.
This story reminds me of someone who did the same
thing for YOU and ME to restore a relationship. I'm not talking about simply taking our punishment for
making fun of a teacher but actually taking our punishment for our sins - DEATH (Romans 6:23)!! Yes Jesus Christ did just that for us!
Let me explain:
God’s
intension in making us humans was always to have relationship with a creation that would have their own free will and decide on their own to worship God! It was nice for about
2 chapters in the bible before man messed that relationship up. You know the
story – Adam, Eve, the Snake and the apple…. In entered the sinful man (that’s all of
us). But don't hate on Adam and Eve because Romans 3:23 says we all sin and fall short.
Long story short…God is a Holy God and cannot be
around sin but He loved and cared about having relationship with His creation (that's you and me) so much that
He gave up His very best for us – In
entered Jesus Christ the sinless sacrifice. Jesus died to do away with
all of our sins and restore this relationship between our Heavenly Father and
His creation - us.
Getting back to my story… for this first-time
offense, I barely got in trouble. My teacher gave me the old “I’m very disappointed in you” speech
and did not discipline me at all. When I saw my friend after class, I was sure
we would be “best friend” after what I did for him. Unfortunately, this was not
the case. (insert sad face here… AWWWWW)
That hurt! To think that I took his punishment and he
didn’t even care. As a matter of fact, he may be reading this blog and not even
know it’s about him.
Hmmmm.....Sometimes
I wonder how Jesus must feel when we ignore his sacrifice and don’t acknowledge
His offer to have relationship with us.
I think sometimes we focus so much on religion and church that we miss what it's all about!
IT'S ALL ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP!
Will you react to His relationship offer today?
Will you allow Him to restore the relationship with
our Heavenly Father and you?
Have you spent time today strengthening that
relationship by talking with our Heavenly Father?
“For our
sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and
through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of]
the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in
right relationship with Him, by His goodness].” 2 Corinthians
5:21
