“When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified Jesus there, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left.” (Luke 23:33)
What a wonderful, awful day that was at Golgotha. Within a few hours, four men bore a cross. One man, Simon was a foreigner from Cyrene in North Africa. Two men were criminals that had been fairly tried, and found guilty. The last of course was Jesus Christ. Unfairly tried, and unjustly fund guilty. Each of these men carried their cross – but not the same way.
Simon was forced to carry Christ’s cross (Mark 14:21). Life is like Simon’s cross at times. It grabs us and lays an unwilling cross on our shoulders. But for Simon and his family, that cross changed their lives. His wife and son, Rufus became well-known Christians (Romans 16:13). Simon didn’t just endure the cross he carried, he used it to change his life. He allowed his contact with Christ to change not only his heart, but the hearts of his family.
Then there was the unrepentant thief who bore a deserving cross next to Christ. He blamed Christ for not saving him. He shouted to Jesus, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39) His cross made him bitter and selfish. He died blaming everyone but himself for his situation. Though hanging next to the cross of Christ, he departed this earth in darkness and despair. No repentance, no reconciliation.
The third cross bore the other thief. He saw that Jesus Christ was exactly who he claimed to be. He asked Jesus to remember him when Christ came into his kingdom (Luke 23:42) To which Jesus promised that he would be with him in paradise that very day. That thief made his cross a cross of light that led him to forgiveness. His cross bearing ended with great gladness.
The fourth cross is the cross that bore our Savior. The other crosses were all involuntary. Christ’s cross was chosen. His cross brought the greatest news ever given to mankind. It brought the salvation we all desperately need. What a cross!
What cross are you bearing in your life right now? More importantly, what are you doing with your cross right now? Life is full of crosses. Some are unwarranted. Some are deserved. All crosses are unwanted. But since we all have to bear crosses, let us anticipate them, accept them, and lift up others through them.
Darlene