Courage To Remember

Courage To Remember
Luke 23:35-43
Tamika Brown

"Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater!" Be it on tv, in a movie or in real life, many folks have heard this idiomatic expression.

Now, I’m going to pause here with an explanatory comma but stay with me. Back in the day, before indoor plumbing was affordable and commonplace, baths were taken by filing a standalone tub with water. Once the bath was over, the water was thrown out.

So, this idiom is often used to infer that you shouldn’t get rid of the good stuff (the baby) due to the bad stuff (the dirty water). In our lives we can probably look back and think of moments or situations that caused us sadness or heartache. Because these experiences were less-than-great, we tend to react to them by saying "I just want to forget that whole experience"

But the text for today’s devotional challenges us to have the Courage To Remember. In the midst of Jesus having the worst experience of his humanity, the thief at his side asked Jesus to "remember him". What nerve right?! To ask someone to essentially relive a moment so wrought with sadness and devastation for our own personal gain!

The text says that the rulers sneered (v. 35), the soldiers mocked (v. 36) and one of the thieves hurled insults (v.39) at Jesus while he awaited execution. Now ain’t that just like people! To kick you when you’re down! But that’s another devotional for another day. In these same moments though, the other thief – both  acceptant of his punishment AND repentant of his sins - said “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (v. 42).  

And this is the beauty of the cross. Jesus could have said all types of things in response to this scene but instead, he CHOSE to ignore the insults, he CHOSE to focus on the thief, he CHOSE to bless rather than curse.

As we end this Lenten season, the  challenge for you and I is to CHOOSE to push past hurt and disappointment. To courageously look at those past experiences that we thought would surely break us and realize that even in the darkness, there was light. When we have the Courage To Remember, we realize that although that job we wanted fell through, the next one was a better fit. We realize that although we were heartbroken, the next relationship was the right one. We realize that even though we were saddened by the loss of a loved one, we were able to continue to grow and flourish.

Sometimes, in our haste to forget - we miss the lesson, we miss the love, we miss the light. But when we have the Courage to Remember, we keep the baby because we know the bathwater can be renewed.

Prayer: God, my God, thank you. Thank you for reminding us that even though things do not always go our way, there is light in the midst of darkness. Thank you, God, for allowing our heartbreak and disappointment to be a lesson for us. Thank you for the chance to renew and replenish. Thank you for giving us the Courage to Remember. Amen.