Have you ever been in the room with someone, and you just knew there was something different about them, something extraordinary? The way they carried themselves, their connection with people, their gentle manner seemed genuine, authentic. They stood out from the rest. And maybe you couldn’t tell exactly what made them seem different, but you sensed it.
Of course maybe they were acting suspicious, untrustworthy. Maybe they were muttering to themselves, and they didn’t have a Bluetooth earpiece! Maybe their clothes didn’t seem to fit in with the crowd, or their hairstyle seemed out of date. Perhaps it was the way their eyes seemed to dart about the room, seemingly unable to stay focused on any one thing.
You see, people can be different for lots of different reasons. And differences can be viewed as good, bad, ugly, and a thousand other ways. Sometimes different is just different.
But I like the times when different has that rare quality, a quality that makes me feel as though they are a cut above me, of better stuff, an inspiration. I want someone to show me what that cut above looks like, without rubbing it in my face. Because once they rub it in my face, they show themselves not to be a cut above. I want quiet confidence, not loud arrogance.
The commander, call a centurion, was there overseeing the activities of the day. He was on crucifixion duty. I don’t know how this particular duty was viewed by those soldiers. It probably was a duty that allowed them to get away from the palace, which is usually a good thing. Most soldiers don’t like being too close to the flagpole, as they say it today. Too many eyes, too many high ranking people, too many bosses, too many nitpicky details. Most soldiers like a little independence, a little flexibility in their jobs. They want to be able to let loose and have a little fun with the task.
Crucifixion duty was really a PR job. It was a public display of the power of Rome to deal with those it deemed threatening or unwanted. Crucifixion stood as a powerful warning to anyone else who might be thinking about rebelling against the authority. They would not have allowed just anyone to be in charge. Like Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC, only the sharpest are qualified to work there.
There were many opportunities for Rome to look incompetent during the process of crucifixion. And if they looked incompetent, they looked as though they lacked power. If the prisoner has too much spunk left in him and he has the strength to continue to incite rebellion, Rome has failed. If the spikes aren’t driven in correctly and the victim rips free, failure. If they don’t survive long enough to make the point about the pain of rebellion, or too long, eating up soldier’s time, delaying the schedule, failure.
And as this commander watches the way Jesus dies, something is different. He must have seen others die, shouting and cursing. Many would have struggled to not be placed on the cross. Some would have continued to struggle to get free, some even after being hoisted. Anger and hatred were probably the normal reactions. Cries of pain and rejection. Maybe a few cries for mom.
But Jesus does none of these things. He is in pain, and when offered something to make Him feel less pain, He rejects it. He rejects the wine mixture that would have provided a little numbing. He rejects the wine vinegar that would have helped His mouth feel a little less parched. He takes care of His mother’s future needs. He offers forgiveness. He gives hope to a fellow condemned man, offering forgiveness and heaven. He breathes His last breath in peace. He was different.
And the centurion knew it. Do you know it? Do you recognize it? Do you proclaim it?
The Arnold Journey 