Remember His sacrifice

By Anne Anjao-Eboi

To Christians, Easter is an important season. It represents the sum total of their belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the reason they are called Christians.

A story is told of King Garcia who was a respectable leader in Spain. It had been decreed that anyone caught stealing would be given 15 lashes of the cane.

It so happened that bales of flour kept disappearing from his household. For a long time, they couldn’t figure out who took it until one day when his advisors came to him with the news that they had caught the thief.

He immediately ordered for people to assemble so that the thief is unveiled in public. His advisors implored him to first let them reveal the culprit before he called for a people’s assembly but the king Garcia would hear none of it. Realising the king could not be dissuaded; they exposed the thief as King Garcia’s mother. The king was in a dilemma. He loved his mother but at the same time he was committed to justice.

Immense respect

He knew people were watching him. If his mother was lashed, she could die due to her advanced age. If he didn’t punish her, he would lose the people’s confidence and betray his principles. After careful thought, he removed his clothes and laid himself down as the sacrifice.

And so the king received 15 strokes of the cane on behalf of his mother. Somebody had to pay for the crime. Thereafter, King Garcia received immense respect and support.

This is what the Christian faith is all about. When Jesus declared, "It is finished," and hung his head, he took upon his body the sins of the world.

As a result, Christians are expected to accept this sacrifice, acknowledge and confess it. More than that, they are expected to emulate Christ and do the good that he did while on the earth.

This Easter, celebrate but do so knowing that Christ hung on a tree not for you to indulge in merry-making. It is not for you to get drank and disorderly but to remember his sacrifice and commit yourself to Him.

It is the time to also lay down your life for someone else. Do away with selfishness this season and purpose to bless someone this Easter.