Grace for all
The ancient city of Jericho is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. There's proof that people have been living there for about 11,000 years. It plays a prominent role in the Old Testament as most people know, but it appears in the New Testament too.
As Jesus passed through the city, it was here that the tax collectors Zachheus climbed a sycamore tree to get a better view of him. Jesus called him down, went to his house, and ate with him. It scandalized many of those watching, how could Jesus offer kindness to such a man is this?
In one of Jesus's most famous parables, he talks about a man traveling down the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, which would've been somewhere beyond these hills in this picture . The traveler is beaten and robbed, and left for dead. There were religious men who passed by him, but it was the Samaritan who showed him kindness and took care of him.
Both of these New Testament stories happen in this old city. Both of them remind us of God's grace. He offers kindness to those who don't deserve it. One is just a story, but the other one actually happened, showing us that Jesus was not just about good ideas but about action.
There's undoubtedly someone in your life who needs Grace. Give it to them. They don't deserve it. They might not even appreciate it. But God has given grace and kindness to us, and so we give it to others. Some people might even demand grace from you. Give it to them anyways.
Most of us typically think of Jericho as a place where the walls came tumbling down. But the gospels remind us that it's a place of grace and mercy too. Thank goodness had mercy available to all, no matter where you are. Show people grace today, and tomorrow, and as much as you can for the rest of your life. Do for others what Christ has done for you.