“And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.” (Mark 15:16-20)

As I read these Holy words this morning, the Holy Spirit brought this thought to mind. We read this and are sickened that this would happen to someone we love, for us. We know the story. Those then did not. Some stood with him, some turned their backs. Same today, but we know the story. We should do better.

We do this to people today, crucify them through words and actions, or, really, the lack of acknowledgement or inclusion. People are mocked, stripped of any dignity they might have, and their worth is stomped upon. We are his children. He deserves better.

And he (God, Jesus, Holy Spirit) tells us that this world is temporary and to hold on to him. God created us for his glory, to be his disciples, his representatives here. We are not living in the holy land, we are passing through a land mine. How we treat others matters.