Spat on. Beaten. Mocked. And then Killed.
Any of these words can easily be found across American news headlines these days about anti-Asian violence. In fact, I recently read an article from the New York Times that included this very sentiment.
Even though I currently live in Hong Kong, most of my family is still in the United States. Every time I think they are safe, I hear about another shooting or attack that hits too close to home. What if something happens to my parents? What about my friends? Is this the place I want my son to grow up in?
The last thought had never crossed my mind before—I had always envisioned raising my children where I grew up in California, where the weather is always perfect, the food delicious, and the culture so diverse. I had never before considered that staying in Asia could be better.
But it feels like the coronavirus has peeled back a layer of blissful ignorance and exposed all the struggles that our country and churches have been hiding underneath. It is clear that our nation is in much need of healing.
These thoughts bring to mind a harrowing incident that happened during Passion Week, which churches around the world celebrated just a few weeks ago.
A group of men spit in another man’s face and struck him. Some slapped him and ridiculed him. They mocked him and struck him on the head. After they had mocked him, they stripped him and led him away to kill him.
Does this sound familiar? It’s all too raw from many of the images that we’ve seen of recent attacks on Asians.
Would it be surprising if I told you that these words were used to describe an event that happened almost 2000 years ago? These events happened in the Bible and are part of the very reason we celebrate Easter. This is how Jesus was treated by the people he came to save.
I cannot explain why people are attacking elderly Asian men and women and even beating them to death. I don’t have the answers to how we can stop people from despising us in their hearts.
But I know this—Jesus is not unfamiliar with injustice. He is not unfamiliar with being hated for working hard and doing what he was called to do. He understands what it is like to be betrayed by his friends and to be rejected by others. He was beaten, mocked, and put on a cross.
The most incredible and ridiculous thing about all of it was that Jesus chose to do this. He sacrificed himself because there was no one else who was able to bring salvation to His people.
The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.
He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him.
(Isaiah 59:15-16 ESV, emphasis added)
These recent attacks remind me that we live in a broken world. I find myself constantly angry at the injustices and hypocrisy I see around us. But for Christians, it should not come as a surprise that wickedness happens on this side of eternity.
None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.
Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.
There is no fear of God before their eyes.
(Romans 3:10-11; 14-18 ESV, emphasis added)
So when I think of the people who were unjustly assaulted or if I want to find peace, I can only look back to the Savior who was also brutally beaten. Jesus had to endure this so that through his death and resurrection, he could reconcile us to God and bring us healing hope. Not only that, his resurrection proved that he is powerful enough to conquer death and is the only one worthy to judge this world.
The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this, he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. (Acts 17:30-31 ESV)
So brothers and sisters, when you see these attacks happening or when you feel fear, cry out to the Father who hates this injustice; cry out to Jesus who understands how it feels; cry out to the Holy Spirit to bring us peace and healing. Let these atrocities remind us of how much this world does need Jesus. Let them remind us of who he is.
Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;I have put my Spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;a bruised reed he will not break,
and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.He will not grow faint or be discouraged
till he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his law.(Isaiah 42:1-4 ESV, emphasis added)