My Uncle Paid The Price

My uncle, Manuel De Jesus Moncion

“You shall put your hand on its head, and it will be accepted as a sacrifice to take away your sins.” (Leviticus 1:4 GNT)


As I read is the Book of Leviticus to further embrace my prayer, passion and desire to know my Savior Jesus for all He is, I am pleasantly blessed to discover what the above verse means. In context, it speaks about sacrificial offerings to atone for ones’ sins.

Out of context, in speaking directly to the verse above, it’s defined as: The laying of the hand on the head of the sacrificial offering (an unblemished animal in this case) symbolized the person’s complete identification with the animal as his substitute— The animals perfection for the mans imperfection.

Beloved, just now as I am studying up for something BIG the LORD is speaking into me to write, I was reminded of a time when I was a little boy and my uncle paid the price for my mistake.


I can recall it as if it happened today— Praise the Lord! And praise Him for the Holy Spirit who teaches us all things of God and reminds us of all that Jesus says. Amen!


My uncle managed an apartment complex called “Jann Apartments” in Opa- Locka, and there was a courtyard in the center of the apartment complex. To me it was an open field to play. I was playing catch with a friend. And I three the football fast and wild and the ball went through one of the tenants doors and the glass shattered.

Jalousie styled door

Now, you may be asking yourself, ‘the door shattered?!’ Apparently, back then the doors were wood framed and in the middle were glass shingles that laid on metal brackets, that could be opened and closed. I included a picture of how the door looked -->

In my uncle being the on site manager, he was called to fix the problem and deal with the anger and frustration and demands of the tenant. If that weren’t enough, after apologizing for me to the tenant and fixing my mistake, after I said sorry to my uncle, and went back to playing as I was, I repeated the same mistake as my uncle was replacing the glass shingles and broke the newly replaced shingles again!



So what my uncle had done to settle the tenants anger, I destroyed again. What my uncle was accomplishing through exactly what had to be done, I ruined.

Yet! Although I made another mistake, my uncle paid the price again. He calmed the tenant’s rage, he apologized for my mistake and he didn’t even punish me! What my uncle did, was show grace and mercy towards my mistakes by appeasing the angry tenant, and substituting his sacrifice and offering of the work by putting newly replaced shingles, instead of me having to pay the price

But as I reflect on the events of that day which could have turned out far worse then I could’ve imagined, I see the Lord Jesus was at work in that situation, and how despite our many repetitive mistakes, Jesus is the only One who substitutes His grace and mercy for our wrongdoing.

But just as my uncle apologized for my mistakes to appease (calm down) the tenants anger (wrath), I too, apologized to my uncle that he would not be angry with me.

We must come to God with a broken and contrite spirit (absolutely sorry for our wrongdoings) to appease His wrath, and through receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior, Jesus who is the offering and sacrifice for the sin of the world (John 1:29) substitutes His perfect sinless life for our imperfect sinful lives.

Through Jesus’ perfect life and sacrificial death on the Cross He makes atonement once and for all for our sins (wrongdoings) once and for all. Amen.


The Invitation: To place your trust (your hand) on Jesus' head (authority) to identify yourself with Him as your Savior who removes your sins, and gives you right standing with God both now and forever. Amen.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

The Sacrifice: Christ Jesus died for you! For me! For ALL OF US!

“But God demonstrated His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

The Atonement: The transfer of a sinless life for a sinful life. A righteous man, for a sinner.

“God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Therefore, I thank God for His grace and mercy on my life and the lives of those who receive His grace and mercy through faith in Christ as they receive the free gift of atonement for their sins in accepting and declaring Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Amen.

I also thank God for this example of His grace and mercy shown in my uncle 20 years ago, that allowed me to rejoice in the Lord that much more in my today and forever! God be praised for my uncle (Manuel Moncion), and the Lord forever be glorified, in that my uncle and my aunt are now saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Amen!

Tio Chiqui que Dios lo bendiga siempre, por demostrar la gracia y misericordia de Dios hacia mi.

I love you uncle Chiqui.

Su sobrino,
Anthony