“One of the criminals hanging next to Jesus insulted him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” Responding, the other criminal spoke harshly to him, “Don’t you fear God, seeing that you’ve also been sentenced to die? We are rightly condemned, for we are receiving the appropriate sentence for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:38-42 Common English Version)
Last Friday while talking on my cellphone and trying to eat a bite at the same time, while moving the phone with my free hand, somehow, I called a young minister on the West Coast. While it was late morning where I live, it was very early in the day in his area. I think I disturbed his morning prayer and reflection time. When the young minister answered, I told him I had called in error and to let me FaceTime him right back. When I called, he looked like he had been exercising, doing pull-ups or sit-ups, something I deducted by his physical appearance. I commented as I saw his muscles toned to perfection, “You must be working out regularly.” The young minister replied with a smile, “That’s just the angle.” We laughed for a moment or two and I told him, the person who set up the markwritesdaily.com blog site, “I’m going to have to use that one.” We laughed again before he said, “I’m sure you will.”
So true to my word, here it is! There were two criminals hung on crosses by Jesus, one on the right side and one on the left side. Only one of them, as you can derive from reading the passage above, saw Jesus from the right angle. As I saw the young minister, the criminal on the “right” side of Jesus, looked at the Master and saw His strength, obediently dying not for His sins, but for the sins of the world. He saw Jesus from the right angle. That criminal, on the “right side,” saw that even in his last moments of life, Jesus could save, and he ended up because of his faith with a promise to see Paradise. He saw Jesus from the right angle.
What does this have to do with you? Well, as you start your workweek, make an effort to see Jesus from the right angle. See Him as the One who saves! See Him as the One who can change your destiny, change your digression tendencies, and direct you upwardly. See Jesus from the right angle. If you do, He will change your outlook even if you are trying to hang on in there, during a tough time. Keep your eyes on Him and see Him from the right angle! Please don’t be like the criminal on the “left” side of Jesus on Golgotha. For you see, that criminal got left out of seeing a brighter day. That criminal did not see Jesus from the right angle. That’s not going to happen to you in any circumstance this week, right? Of course, I’m right! You are going to see Jesus from the right angle in every situation, and doing so, you are going to let Him amaze you, assist you, and assuredly bless you no matter what takes place in your life, and no matter if patience is required as you wait on Him! When you see Jesus from the right angle, you can carry on by faith, regardless of what is going on, and you can keep running the race. Our closing verses will help you make sure you see Jesus from the right angle. Have a great Monday! Be blessed!
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King