Were you there? The unrepentant thief

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.’ The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the Jews. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ Luke 23:35-39, NIV

The unrepentant thief, hanging beside Christ, stands as a stark reminder of the power of choices. Even in the face of imminent death, he clung to bitterness and defiance. He mocked Christ, rejecting the mercy offered to him, refusing to acknowledge the divine grace alongside his own deserved punishment.

How often do we, like him, harden our hearts against grace? We cling to resentment, holding on to the comfort of our pain, unwilling to face our need for forgiveness. Lent calls us to examine those places within where we resist change, where we choose darkness over light.

His story serves as a warning. Even at the edge of eternity, the choice remains: to accept or reject the outstretched hand of salvation. Let's not waste time. Let's turn toward the One who offers redemption, even to the last breath.

Let's pray:
Lord, help me to soften my heart and recognise the grace you freely offer. Open my eyes to see where I have clung to bitterness and pain, and teach me to embrace forgiveness and mercy. In this Lenten season, may I choose your light over the shadows of resentment and defiance, and may I always be ready to receive the restoration you offer. Amen.