The wisdom of the red letters

Remember me on my bathroom floor, curled up in a ball

and not wanting to come out.

Not ever?

I started to wonder.

What would Jesus do in this situation?

How does forgiveness look,

when you are right in the heat of the battle?

In the dark hours after Gethsemane,

did He speak at all?

I heard a preacher preachin' it in the rhymes of his rap,

Jesus came to earth so He could say, "Me, too!"

When I am tempted.

When I am lonely.

When I am weary.

When I'm despairing.

Jesus says, "Me, too. I've been there. I know."

He went before the high priest - his religious leader - 

and Pilate - the government official.

Came in shackles before His accusers.

Just a glance down at John 18 and 19 tells a story of few words.

Powerful ones.

The red letters stand out like flags in the sea of other words.

The words that came right out of His mouth.

In the garden, He said to His captors,

"I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go."

To the high priest, He said,

"I have spoken openly to the world.

I have said nothing in secret.

Why do you ask me?

Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; 

they know what I said."

"If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong,

but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?"

Confronted by Pilate, He asked,

"Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?"

And He pointed out that He wasn't fighting.

That He was born to bear witness to the truth.

That's how Jesus would do it.

This is how I have to be, if I am to imitate Christ.

Spare friends.

Defend for speaking openly.

There are witnesses to ask.

Invite the trial.

Ask the accuser who is really doing the accusing.

Refrain from fighting.

Bear witness to the truth.