Was our Lord Jesus modeling for us the opportunity for us to carry someone else’s cross? As I read the account of Simon of Cyrene, he appeared to be forced into service by the Roman soldiers because the Lord Jesus could no longer carry His cross.
A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. (Mark 15:21NIV84 emphasis added; cf.; cf Mt. 27:32 and Luke 23:26).
Now for certain, our Lord was much too weak to continue to carry His cross, so Simon was “enlisted” to help. Our Lord gave no protest. He accepted the help.
Again, is it possible our Lord was modeling for us helping our brothers and sisters carry their own cross? We are to pick up and carry our cross daily (Lk. 9:23), but maybe there are some days we do not have the strength to carry our daily cross, and we need the help of others to carry it?
In the past I have taught Grief Relief Seminars in which I have expressed the reality of this ministry: When someone’s life is upended through a tragedy or death or some crisis, to bring the grieving relief, it requires upending our lives to help someone whose life has been…upended!
Is this what Simon of Cyrene was doing? Even though he was “forced” to carry the Lord’s cross, are we also to carry each other’s cross, especially when it becomes too heavy for them?
And what’s even more fascinating, the Lord Jesus “let” Simon help. How many times have I resisted letting someone help me carry my cross? But what a marvel!?! We help carry each other’s crosses when “they” cannot! Helping carry someone’s cross is indeed a ministry of the Body of Christ to one another. It is fulfilling the “New Command” isn’t it? “As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:35)
I’m curious, is this what the Apostle Paul means in Colossians 1:24–29?
Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of His body, which is the church. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me. (NIV84)
Wow! I get to practice carrying someone else’s cross! And I have a choice to become embittered, filled with rage, envy, and resentment…. Or, I can choose to “rejoice in what was suffered for you [the one whose cross I help carry]!” What a marvel: this Mystery of Cross-Carrying.
Peace,
Pastor Mike