They hold up their sins, displaying who they are. Sinner, Self-Harmer, Loner, Porn Addict, Murderer, Alcoholic, Worthless. These are the signs these people show the world. These are the signs they show themselves.
Sinner looks down at his feet, wishing that he were not here. His sin is the only thing on his mind, of course no one is as bad as him. No one has been where he’s been, no one has done what he’s done. Sinner wishes he was different, that he was not like this. With these thoughts, he raises SINNER above his head.
Self-Harmer looks at her scars, scattering her body like tiny raised graves. It is the only thing on her mind – how long will she have to go until the next cut? The next burn? Will she make it until then? These thoughts shame her. What would anyone say if they knew? No one would understand, she knows. Not that anyone would care. With these thoughts, she raises SELF-HARMER above her head.
Loner wanders the halls alone. How she wishes she had a friend. Someone to talk to, or at least someone to follow around school so she wouldn’t look so alone. But a relationship with someone – anyone – is that too much to ask? Really? What makes her so repulsive, she wonders. Does no one care? With these thoughts, she raises LONER above her head.
Porn Addict lives constantly in shame. He wishes he could stop…but… He never can. The images are constantly in his mind. What would his wife say if she knew? What would anyone say if they knew? With these thoughts he raises PORN ADDICT above his head.
Murderer stares at the ground. His hate for himself, for his actions, runs deep. He doesn’t know what made him do it. He has many, many regrets. Could he ever be made new? Probably not, he decides. With these thoughts he raises MURDERER above his head.
Alcoholic hates his habit. He craves his next drink. He tries to stop but the bottle glares at him, either physically or in his mind. It’s the only thing that works to drown out his problems, to drown away his life. Even then the reminders are all too fresh when he’s finished. He wishes he could live in a continual state of drunkenness. With these thoughts he raises ALCOHOLIC above his head.
Worthless looks in the mirror and she sees nothing. She is nothing. No one has ever noticed her, no one would notice if she was gone. She hates everything about herself. Nothing within her is of worth. With these thoughts she raises WORTHLESS above her head.
Everyone is carrying a sign showcasing to the world around them who they are. Who the world says they are. Each person is ashamed by their sign, but they know they deserve it. Are these really their destinies? Forever trapped by who themselves, and the world, say they are?
For these empty words are not the truth. These signs do not reflect who the person truly is inside – they just don’t realise it. Everyone is the same; no one realises it.
But there is one person whose sign shows who they really are. This KING knows who he is and what he is here to do. He comes to change the signs, to make people new.
He gently asks these people to line up next to each other. “I know what you’ve done,” he begins. “But I know who you really are.”
He walks past each of them in turn. As he walks past, each of them is filled with a sense of awe, of wonder at who he really is. None of them can understand it. King walks back past them all, slower this time. He reaches out and places his hands on each of them in turn, slowly changing who they are. Who the world sees them as. And who they see themselves as.
Sinner becomes Saved
Self-Harmer becomes Healed
Loner becomes Daughter
Porn Addict becomes Free
Alcoholic becomes Victor
Murderer becomes Son
Worthless becomes Loved
