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There he is now, in the centre of the arena--an unattractive, pathetic-looking figure. Some say he's a ruler and a deliverer, but there's no sense of majesty or heroics in his being. As a matter of fact, when you look at him, you want to look the other way. He's standing there like a lamb about to be slaughtered--totally defenceless. He doesn't even do anything to defend himself.
But look further. Way beyond, past the eyes of men, there is a completely different picture. The disfigured man is like a tender, green shoot growing out of a dry, cracked, rocky patch of dirt. All around Him there is destruction, but in Him there is freshness and hope, a tiny bit of new life growing in spite of the ugliness.
The spectators in the arena are pointing at him, laughing, making cynical comments. The eyes of God see differently. He sees their repulsiveness being transferred onto the figure in the centre. They don't even notice that it is their own sin they are mocking: "We are the ones who strayed away like sheep! We, who left God's paths to follow our own. Yet God laid on Him the guilt and sins of every one of us! . . . From prison and trial they led Him away to His death. But who among the people of that day realized it was their sins that He was dying for?" (Isaiah 53:6,8, Living Bible).
We're still part of the crowd in the arena. Which ones are we? The ones looking away? The ones discussing other events in our lives with our friends, not even noticing what is happening? The ones seeing and saying, "Yeah, thanks. Now what about. . . ?" Or are we the ones with horror-stricken faces, overwhelmed with the realization of the cost of the sacrifice made for us?
Cherril Guennewig is a member of Mill Woods MB Church in Edmonton.
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