Now Hit Her

Why your worth is not something you have to earn.

Dear Loved One,

There is a story of an ancient King known as both the most loving and the most just ruler who had ever lived.

Eventually, it was discovered that someone was stealing from the royal treasury. To uphold justice, the King issued a decree: “whoever was caught stealing would receive 40 lashes in front of the entire kingdom.”

In those days, 40 lashes was a death sentence.

Weeks went by, and the thief was finally caught. It was the King’s own beloved daughter.

A question rippled through the kingdom: “How could the most loving King kill his own daughter?” If he punished her, he was unloving. If he pardoned her, he was unjust.

The King didn’t debate. He declared, “The law is clear. Justice must prevail.”

The princess was brought to the front and tied to the executioner’s table. The executioner ripped open the back of her shirt and raised his whip. But just as he was about to strike, the King stood up and yelled, “Stop!”

Silently, the King walked down from his throne. He bent over his daughter, wrapped his own body around hers, and ripped the shirt off his own back. He looked at the executioner and said:

“Now hit her.”

The executioner objected, “King, I can’t hit her without hitting you!”

The King simply replied, “Now hit her.” 40 lashes fell upon the back of the King as he shielded his daughter. The King died, and the girl went free.

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This is the radical heart of the Easter story.

God did not pretend our flaws didn’t matter. He didn’t lower the standard of justice. Instead, the King stepped down from the throne, took off His royal robes, and took the stripes on His own back so that we wouldn’t have to.

Why? Because of how incredibly special you are to Him.

We live in a culture that tells us we are only as good as our last win. We tie our value to our job titles, our bank accounts, or how well we are holding everything together. But this season screams a different truth: Your worth is determined by the price the King was willing to pay for you.

You are a child of the King, deeply loved, and someone He felt was worth stepping down from a throne to protect.

As you go through this week, let that sink in. When doubt tries to remind you of your mistakes or the world tries to make you feel small, remember the price that was paid.

You are valued. You are wanted. You are His.

Have a wonderful Easter season!

Shalom,
Ayo Daniels