The Story of the First Thief

The Story of the First Thief

(Luke 23:39) One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”

This first thief, even in this moment, still used his words to wound, still stabbing at an unfair world until the very end.  He had grown so accustomed to using the power of his words to wound that even in this moment, possibly his last moments, he could only use them to wound others. Words to him were not the honest expression of the soul, but a weapon to be wielded against those who might wound him.

Like Invictus the first thief’s head was bloody but unbowed. Though eternity was fast approaching him, he would not accept the help of any man, nor bow to any God other than his own pride.  Thinking “I may be low, but if there is even one person lower than me, one more neck on which I can place my boot, I will give them hell.”

Maybe at one point he had thought to change his ways, that someday when the opportunity arose he would straighten up and settle down, become a better person.  But that day never came.  The only thing that did come was the cross, was being caught, being judged and now being executed. So he sought to give Hell to the only one now offering him Heaven. He had not the means to escape his punishment.  He had no one else that cared what he said.  All he had left were a few words, and he used those words to rail at the Christ.

What words did he chose when every word hurt, when every syllable burned?