Reading · Homes of Glory · RSS Amplifier

It’s one thing to read the account of Jesus’ crucifixion.
It’s quite another thing to witness it.

This week, I rewatched The Passion of the Christ—the final hours of Jesus’ life unfolding in unflinching detail.

You hear the shouts—the taunts, the mockery, the cruel laughter.
You hear the whip striking His back. His skin tearing with every lash.
You see the blood, the brutality, the body of a man undone.

And something rises in you.

This is wrong.
This is unjust.
Surely…this is unforgivable.

And then Jesus speaks.

Not words of judgment.
Not words of defense.
Not even words of deliverance.

Instead:

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

These are stunning words.

Because from a human standpoint, nothing about this moment seems forgivable.
And yet here—right here—is the very heart of God on display.

Jesus is not excusing their actions.
He is revealing something deeper.

They know not…

…that His death is the very means of their forgiveness.
…that He is standing in their place, bearing their sin.
…that, in this very moment, He is reconciling them back to God.

And here is the twist:

They know not…and neither do we. At least—not fully.

How often have we resisted God? Ignored Him? Chosen our own way?

We, too, live with partial sight.
We, too, act without full understanding.

Which means this word is not just spoken over them.
It is spoken over us.

Even as Jesus hangs on the cross, He intercedes:

Father, forgive them.

And if we are honest, we hear our own name in that prayer.

Father, forgive…me

This is the good news of Good Friday—
that while we were still sinners, Christ turned toward us, not away from us.

And now, let’s bring it closer to home.

Because if this is the heart of the Son towards us,
it can shape our heart as a parent towards our child.

How often do our children act in ways that frustrate us?

They disobey.
They forget.
They fall short—again and again.

And something rises in us.

Why would you do that?
You should know better.
How many times have I told you?

And sometimes, beneath it all, a quiet verdict:

This is unacceptable.

But what if, in those very moments, we heard again the words of Jesus:

Forgive them…They know not what they do.

Not as an excuse.
But as a lens.

Our children are not finished products.
They are in formation.

They do not yet see clearly.
They do not yet understand fully.
They are learning—slowly, imperfectly—what it means to live out of faith in wisdom, obedience, and love.

Which means our role is not simply to correct behavior.
It is to reflect the heart of the Father.

Yes, we discipline.
Yes, we train.
Yes, we hold the line.

But we do so with a posture that says:

I see your immaturity… and I will meet it with mercy.
I see your failure… and I will not turn away from you.
I see that you do not yet fully know… and I will walk with you as you learn.

Because that is exactly how Christ has treated us.

Good Friday reminds us that Jesus did not wait for full understanding before extending forgiveness. He moved toward us in our blindness.

And now, as parents, we are invited to do the same.

To move toward our children—
even in their mess,
even in their immaturity,
even in the moments that test us most.

With steady, costly love.

Share Homes of Glory

Where am I still living as one who “knows not”—and needs to receive Christ’s forgiveness again?
Where might I be expecting maturity from my children that they are not yet capable of carrying?
What would it look like, this week, to discipline with Christ’s heart of compassion living in me?

Good Friday does not lower the standard.
It reveals the heart of our God.

And that heart—
is one that forgives,
one that moves toward,
one that loves… in spite of the mess.

The question is not whether we’ve received it.

The question is whether we will reflect it—
right where we are,
especially in our homes.

It is not easy, but with Him, all things are possible.

From My Heart and Home to Yours This Good Friday,

Ali

Thanks for reading Homes of Glory! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Father, Forgive Them

Comments