Jesus was offered myrrh-ed wine (ἐσμυρνισμένον) before the crucifixion, but he didn't take it. (Mark 15:23) Apparently, such wine was commonly offered to the crucified because of myrrh's pain-deadening properties.
The image a Jesus rejecting myrrh keeps coming back to me as I read tweets and Facebook posts. So many people are anxious and feeling unsafe that I'm tempted to numb myself to their pain. The number of hurting and worried people is that overwhelming.
There are plenty of ways I could choose numbness over engagement -- block Twitter and Facebook accounts, ignore certain news outlets, spend my free-time pursuing pleasant distractions. Then I remember Jesus facing the cross without cutting the pain, and the temptation to dropout fades.
Why did Jesus choose to feel the pain of the crucifixion when he had an alternative available to him? His choice was a brave one, and it makes me feel brave. I can face what's happening in society because I am in communion with this type of Savior, one who can endure the pain and triumph over it. I anticipate that he will give me victory over the anxieties of today, too.
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