"His Signature Look"

"And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." Luke 23:41-43

Have you ever stopped to wonder about this encounter? Why? What? What happened? What took place up there on the cross? What made this criminal choose to believe? What made him jump to Jesus' defense and rebuke the other criminal when he starts blaspheming Jesus. He rebuked him for it and then he addressed Jesus as, Lord. When? Why? How did he come to this realization. When did Jesus become Lord to him? What happened to convince him?

I have a theory, but first lets take a quick look at a couple of other scenes. In Mark 1:40-45 is the  encounter of Jesus and the leper crying out to him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus, moved with compassion, put out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." Jesus didn't just talk to him. He didn't just touch him. He looked him straight in the eyes and he said, "I'm willing."  Not only did the man hear the words and feel the touch He saw 'the love of Christ' in the look Jesus gave him. There is no way that His heart for the man didn't show on his face as He responded to this man's plea.

In John 8:3-11 is the encounter of Jesus, the scribes, pharisees and the woman caught in adultery. There is a moment at the end of this encounter where Jesus speaks to the woman and says, "Women, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you? She responds with, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." I don't know about you but I believe that there was eye contact during this exchange. I can't even imagine Jesus using words like, "Neither do I condemn you," without Him looking her in the eye while saying them. I don't for a minute think that words alone would have been enough because of the situation. The shame, the humiliation. I know because I know that the look He gave her as He spoke those words, "Neither do I condemn you," was full of mercy, grace, compassion, and that it was a look of love!   

In Luke 22:54-62 we see where Jesus is arrested as well as the account of Peter's denial. We are going to look at verses 60-61 ...But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying!" And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." I don't know about you but I don't believe for a moment that there was even an ounce of an, 'I told you so' in that look when their eyes met. I believe that all Peter saw was love looking at him. I think it is why it says that he left and went and wept bitterly. If the look was an 'I told you so look' it wouldn't have provoked such a strong reaction. I think he wept bitterly because in the midst of his denial he came face to face with look at 'the love of Christ.'  I don't believe for a second that Peter saw even an ounce of condemnation. What he saw was love, mercy, grace, compassion. The only look Jesus had for Peter was one that revealed His heart.

So, now you know my theory. I believe the answer to How? What? and Why? in the encounter of Jesus and the criminal on the cross is very simply this; Jesus got to him with His signature look! I think that every time their eyes met Jesus didn't look at him with condemnation or judgement. I believe that every time this man looked into the eyes of Jesus he got to see Jesus looking back at him with love, mercy, grace, and compassion. I find it to be an awesome thing that in the midst of the suffering such a gruesome death this criminal could also experience the 'love of Christ' and know the salvation of God. I find it to be an awesome thing that in the midst of suffering such a gruesome death, Jesus, our Saviour, was looking at not only him but us with eyes full of love, mercy, grace, and compassion.  His signature look? The love of Christ!