Just as there is a thin line between love and hate, there is also a thin line between life and death. One moment, you are in life, next moment you are in eternity.

The story of the two thieves on the cross with Jesus is instructive. One second of obedience can launch you into eternal life and one second of disobedience can launch you to eternal damnation.

The Spirit of God gave me an insight into the issue that perspective plays in the way we react to situations or circumstances of life.

“Perspectives between marriage partners, between siblings, between business partners, among neighbors, among nations, all stimulate different attitudes and approaches” that would finally affect the outcome or results of the association or partnership.

Against this backdrop is an interesting story of two thieves on the cross with Jesus narrated in Luke 23:39-43. Clearly, the issue of perspective and obedience that can lead to life or death. Same situation but different perspectives that affected attitude and interpretation of the same event.

According to reports and Luke’s detailed account, here is Jesus, the Saviour, on the cross in the middle of two criminals condemned to death by hanging. It is written, “Curse is the man that is hung on a tree.”

Prophet Isaiah foretold the event in Isaiah 53:2 “He has no form (splendor) or comeliness (appearance). And when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” v3 “He is despised and rejected by man, a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised and we did not esteem Him.”

This event of eternal significance for mankind was about to be interrupted shortly by a conversation that appears not important to the main story.

Here comes perspective and individual interpretation of the same event which produced different outcome.

In all of the bleeding from His body and of the agony of the moment, the thief on the left said, “If you are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” The thief on the right said something different. v40 “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation.” v42 Then he said “Lord, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.” v43 “And Jesus said to him “Assuredly, I say to you, today, you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Revelation is that the blood, the agony, the pain, has not diminished his opinion of the man in the middle tree…

Is it a coincidence that the tree is in the middle? See Genesis 2:9 and Revelation 2:7.

Let it be known to you that the story of mankind is edged, embedded and enclosed in two gardens and 2 Trees, Garden – Genesis 2:8, Garden of Gethsemane. While one led to loss of dominion and condemnation, the other led to victory and redemption of mankind. Matthew 26:36.

The thief called Jesus, Lord. How did he get that revelation? Indeed, it is a great revelation when he said “when you come into Your Kingdom, REMEMBER ME”.

v43 Jesus answered and said “Yes”.

Maybe something inside of him revealed that he could never be in a better company. The thief on the left saw death, the one on the right saw life, interpreting the same event from different perspective. Moreover, he saw that this Man’s death will lead to another life and he is going to be the King of that Kingdom.

First, the thief on the cross understood what a lot of Christians nowadays find difficult to get through their mind: That death is the way to life. Second, if any man ever deserved to die, the crook was qualified, if any fellow was ever a loser, this fellow was at the top of the list. But grace found him. Grace saved him.

The Lord wants you to know and understand that in the midst of your struggles, frustrations, ups and down of life, the grace of God has never left you. If only you can see it, it is available for you for the taking. I recall one Sunday morning, just got up from my knees in prayer in my office to go to the altar to preach. As soon as I held the microphone and welcomed the people, I started crying. Really crying with tears coming out of my eyes. And the Lord spoke through me, “There’s a woman here, you cried all night and you said the Lord has left and abandoned you. Far from it, I’ve made my servant to cry this morning to let you know that I was with you in you crying. I have not left nor forsaken you” that settled the matter for the woman.

The truth of the matter is that the quantum of grace is infinite. Paul wrote, the Lord said to him, “My grace is sufficient for you.”

When loving kindness and tender mercies of the Almighty God kiss together for you, it is equal to grace.

At least, 3 things are available for you as a believer and one born of the Spirit daily:

Add grace to what you are doing and the answer will be correct. Grace, somebody defined it, as a divine enablement that makes you do things you cannot do naturally.

May the abiding grace and finishing grace of Jehovah rest upon you always.