Extraordinary Generosity

“But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.” Isaiah 53:5-6

I grew up with four older brothers. Most siblings are quick to throw each other under the bus, but one of my brothers actually took the blame for something I did once. I was about seven years old at the time. My brother was 14. Mom was not home. I was playing around in the kitchen when I accidentally knocked my mom’s glass butter dish off the counter. The butter dish hit the clock on the stove and broke the clock before it hit the floor and shattered to pieces. I was worried that mom would not be happy with me when she got home. When my brother saw that I was upset, he said, “Don’t worry, sis. We’ll just tell her I did it.” 

I have never forgotten the extraordinary generosity of my brother that day. Why would he voluntarily take the blame for something he didn’t do? He was completely innocent, and yet he chose to take my guilt and my punishment. 

What my brother did for me that day, Jesus has done for all humanity. He voluntarily agreed to take the blame for all of our sins. He was completely innocent and yet He chose to take our guilt and our punishment. Even though we left God’s paths to follow our own, He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins, beaten so we could be whole, and whipped so we could be healed.