Welcome to the room of people
Who have rooms of people that they loved one day
Docked away
Just because we check the guns at the door
Doesn't mean our brains will change from hand grenades
You're lovin' on the psychopath sitting next to you
You're lovin' on the murderer sitting next to you
You'll think, how'd I get here, sitting next to you?
But after all I've said, please don't forget
All my friends are heathens, take it slow
Wait for them to ask you who you know
Please don't make any sudden moves
You don't know the half of the abuse
All my friends are heathens, take it slow
Wait for them to ask you who you know
Please don't make any sudden moves
You don't know the half of the abuse
~Heathens by 21 Pilots
My oldest son loves 21 Pilots. Anytime he gets in my car he turns on their music. The other day, on the way to church, we changed the song from, "This is amazing grace" to "Heathens" by 21 Pilots. We all had a good laugh because that seemed like quite a jump. And then my husband said something interesting. He mentioned that Jesus probably would have liked the song because, quite frankly, it talks about the type of people Jesus hung out with.
Jesus defied all rules, regulations, stigmas, and opinions in order to be near the heathens. He befriended the tax collector who really was a thief, the harlot, the lowly fisherman, the betrayer, the sick, the wounded, the ugly, and the messy. He easily could have chosen the religious leaders but he didn't. Instead, he spent his time with the heathens.
He sat down next to the murderer, the psychopath, the adulterer and showed them grace. He gave them time and took it slow showing them love and tenderness, all the while, teaching them about the overwhelming grace that awaited them on the other side of redemption. He wasn't afraid of what others' might think. He didn't change seats when the one who sinned so badly sat down next to him. Nope. Instead, he stayed and he showed the heathen that he mattered.
It is Holy Week: the week we remember all the things that happened, had to happen, and the prophecy fulfilled leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus. This week we remember that one of Jesus' closest friends would betray him leading him to his death. But, Jesus loved him anyway. We learned that one of Jesus' inner circle would deny knowing him. Yet, Jesus loved him anyway. We saw Jesus share a meal with a bunch of known heathens entrusting the Gospel with these men because he loved them. He knew their pasts would be redeemed on an old rugged cross so he loved them despite their shady life stories.
Jesus loved the heathen. Do we? Jesus was beaten, torn, and hung for the heathen. He shared meals, spent valuable time with, and sacrificed his life for the heathen. Do we?
I think we easily forget that we were once that heathen. We find salvation and forget our story. We leave it behind burying deep under the earth hoping no one will find our crazy. In doing so, we forget about the rest of the heathens that don't yet know they have access to a Savior that loves them so.
Jesus came for the heathen. He took it slow and made sure to take a seat next to them. He didn't point out their heathenness because he didn't have to. They already knew their story. He loved. He extended grace. He spoke dignity into their lives giving them a fresh hope. Are we doing the same?
Holy Week is as good a time as any to reflect and ask ourselves if we are loving the heathen, this world, well. It's a good time to reflect on Jesus, his life, why he came, and who he came for reminding ourselves that EVERYONE matters to God. EVERY. SINGLE. HUMAN. MATTERS. They matter to him. So they should matter to us.
Rest in mercy. Give grace. Be kind. Love relentlessly.
Love & Blessings,
Meg
Who have rooms of people that they loved one day
Docked away
Just because we check the guns at the door
Doesn't mean our brains will change from hand grenades
You're lovin' on the psychopath sitting next to you
You're lovin' on the murderer sitting next to you
You'll think, how'd I get here, sitting next to you?
But after all I've said, please don't forget
All my friends are heathens, take it slow
Wait for them to ask you who you know
Please don't make any sudden moves
You don't know the half of the abuse
All my friends are heathens, take it slow
Wait for them to ask you who you know
Please don't make any sudden moves
You don't know the half of the abuse
~Heathens by 21 Pilots
My oldest son loves 21 Pilots. Anytime he gets in my car he turns on their music. The other day, on the way to church, we changed the song from, "This is amazing grace" to "Heathens" by 21 Pilots. We all had a good laugh because that seemed like quite a jump. And then my husband said something interesting. He mentioned that Jesus probably would have liked the song because, quite frankly, it talks about the type of people Jesus hung out with.
Jesus defied all rules, regulations, stigmas, and opinions in order to be near the heathens. He befriended the tax collector who really was a thief, the harlot, the lowly fisherman, the betrayer, the sick, the wounded, the ugly, and the messy. He easily could have chosen the religious leaders but he didn't. Instead, he spent his time with the heathens.
He sat down next to the murderer, the psychopath, the adulterer and showed them grace. He gave them time and took it slow showing them love and tenderness, all the while, teaching them about the overwhelming grace that awaited them on the other side of redemption. He wasn't afraid of what others' might think. He didn't change seats when the one who sinned so badly sat down next to him. Nope. Instead, he stayed and he showed the heathen that he mattered.
It is Holy Week: the week we remember all the things that happened, had to happen, and the prophecy fulfilled leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus. This week we remember that one of Jesus' closest friends would betray him leading him to his death. But, Jesus loved him anyway. We learned that one of Jesus' inner circle would deny knowing him. Yet, Jesus loved him anyway. We saw Jesus share a meal with a bunch of known heathens entrusting the Gospel with these men because he loved them. He knew their pasts would be redeemed on an old rugged cross so he loved them despite their shady life stories.
Jesus loved the heathen. Do we? Jesus was beaten, torn, and hung for the heathen. He shared meals, spent valuable time with, and sacrificed his life for the heathen. Do we?
I think we easily forget that we were once that heathen. We find salvation and forget our story. We leave it behind burying deep under the earth hoping no one will find our crazy. In doing so, we forget about the rest of the heathens that don't yet know they have access to a Savior that loves them so.
Jesus came for the heathen. He took it slow and made sure to take a seat next to them. He didn't point out their heathenness because he didn't have to. They already knew their story. He loved. He extended grace. He spoke dignity into their lives giving them a fresh hope. Are we doing the same?
Holy Week is as good a time as any to reflect and ask ourselves if we are loving the heathen, this world, well. It's a good time to reflect on Jesus, his life, why he came, and who he came for reminding ourselves that EVERYONE matters to God. EVERY. SINGLE. HUMAN. MATTERS. They matter to him. So they should matter to us.
Rest in mercy. Give grace. Be kind. Love relentlessly.
Love & Blessings,
Meg
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