'twas I

I have experienced only four incidents of outright anti-semitism in my life. (not counting the variety of times I've heard the phrase "jew'em down"... when I hear someone use this phrase, I generally confront them; the response is often something like ... "it's not anti-semitic; it's just a saying.")

I was thinking today about the first incident... I was in elementary school... I went into the boys room, and there were two older, bully type kids (I was probably in the 5th grade, they were "older" probably 6th graders.) I was wearing a ring with a Star of David on it...I think it was probably plastic, I don't remember where I got it or who gave it to me. Maybe Hebrew School, maybe my parents. One of the kids asked to see my ring... I raised my hand to show him... he then grabbed me and pinned my arms while the other kid took the ring off my hand and flushed it down the toilet. The one who grabbed me told me I was a "Christ killer" and said I was going to go to hell when I died.

Now... that memory came back to me today... I decided it was time to forgive those two bullies... after all, they had it half right!

We all had a hand in this, didn't we? Those bully kids...their parents... you... and I. This is a verse of a hymn sung today...

Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee.
'Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee:
I crucified thee.