It’s hard to imagine the kind of restraint Jesus had to show while he was being beaten and mocked in front of the Sanhedrin. He could have easily fought back. He could have defended himself. He didn’t because of us. He loved us so much that he took the abuse without fighting back. And of course, he would eventually face execution on the cross because of that love.
It’s very humbling to understand that Jesus had that kind of love for us. In 1 John 3 we’re told that his sacrificial love for us should be a model of how we love others. Are you willing to take criticism and abuse from others for someone else? Many of us will automatically say yes and then point to our families. But of course people will die for friends (and family), Paul says in Romans 5. The question is, will we love our enemies with that kind of sacrificial action?
That’s a whole other question.
