Photo by Lam Kok Hiang
Do not look down on me just because I seem to be an insignificant nail. I have travelled the world. I have seen much in life. The defining moment of my existence came on the day I was taken from a Roman soldier’s pouch, along a dusty road that led to Calvary.
When he took me out of his bag, I saw three men waiting to be crucified. Serve them right, I thought—these criminals. But there was something different about the man in the middle. The women who wept nearby called Him Messiah. A plaque above His head read, “King of the Jews,” This was no ordinary man.
A soldier placed me at His wrist and raised the hammer. As I was driven in, pain shot through my head. Ouch! The pain He bore must have been beyond words—yet He remained silent.
As His head turned, our eyes met. They were not eyes of anger or hatred, but of love and compassion. Then I heard Him speak: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
I could not understand. What wrong had He done?
Someone nearby whispered, “He claimed to be the Son of God.” For that, He dies?
Only later did I begin to understand what mankind calls sin. This man was bearing the sins of the world. He did not last much longer. When He took His final breath, a question lingered in me: If He truly is the Son of God, why did He not come down from the cross?
Now I know the answer. It was not the nails that held Him there. It was love—love for the world—that kept Him on the cross. I hope the people He gave His life for realise how much He went through for them.
A simple nail triggers much thought about what Jesus had done. Who drove those nails? Was it the crowd, eager to please Pilate? Or the religious leaders of the day?
No. It was me, and it was you!
This Good Friday, as we ponder on the significance of our Saviour’s death and resurrection, let us also take every opportunity to bring someone into the loving embrace of His nail-scarred hands.
Blessings,
Lam Kok Hiang
Leadership Mentor
“您别瞧俺是根钉，俺偏不是一般钉子。天大地大俺哪儿没去过，俺就见闻广。想当年直通髑髅地的黄土路上，俺还蹲过罗马军爷的袋子，初露锋芒即巅峰。
那时军爷从囊中亮出俺，俺一眼就认出了那三人！哪三人？三个恶徒，想是天理难容，待会都得挂上架子示众。就中间那汉子有点意思，附近好些妇人在为他哭泣，说什么‘弥赛亚‘，还顶了个亡命牌写着’犹太人的王‘。好样的！这不就让俺给盯上了。
某军爷将俺瞄准那汉子手腕处，大锤砸下。俺头一麻再麻，几个哆嗦硬生生地扎穿血肉、又钻入木头里。哎哟喂！他一定是痛彻心扉！但那汉子依旧一声不吭。
架子上、恍惚中，那汉子转头仿佛和俺对了一眼。半空中、目光里，没有愤恨，只有怜悯。随后俺听他喃喃：‘父啊，赦免他们！因为他们不知道自己所作的是什么。’
俺一时给搞糊涂了。这汉子究竟犯了什么？附近有人声窃窃：‘他自称是 神的儿子。’ 就这？他该死？
许久之后俺才明白人们所谓的‘罪’。他竟想以一人顶替世人之罪。回过神来，那汉子已命不久矣。他断气那刹那，一道问题油然而生、久久不去：这人若真是 神的儿子，为何不从架子下去呢？
如今，俺释然了。当年把 神子留在木头上的，不是钉子们给力，而是爱！说到爱，俺没有人的聪明，没学会究竟怎样的爱能让 神付出自己生命来挽回世人，您知道吗？”
我从一枚不起眼的钉子角度寻思，牵出耶稣基督受难的许多联想。是谁砸下那一根根钉子？是逢迎罗马人的群众么？是当时的宗教领袖们么？
不，钉子在我手里，也在您手里。
来临的基督受难节，我们默想救主的牺牲和复活，也让我们把握每个契机把人带到救主钉痕的手前，由祂慈爱怀抱所接纳。
愿 神祝福您。
蓝国贤
会务导师
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