My initial thought was, dang that sucks for Simon. Dude was just trying to go about his business, didn't do anything wrong, maybe just followed the crowd over to see what all the commotion was and then gets yanked out of the crowd and forced to carry someone else's cross. He didn't do anything, and it was probably inconvenient for him, like he could have needed to go fix dinner or meet someone for some food, but instead he gets chosen to lift this up. Unfortunately, I've read this many times before and always thought, huh, well it kinda sucks to be him.
But today, God showed me, look at the honor he had. He was the most like Christ. Ok 1) He was forced to carry someone else's cross 2) which he had done nothing wrong to have to carry it 3) It was probably inconvenient for him, but he did it anyway. (Actually, all of that just came as I was trying to explain my thoughts then realized how much they tied together)
What God really showed me was how much of an honor Simon had. To be able to literally pick up a cross and follow Jesus. (Something Jesus said 12 chapters and I dunno how many weeks or months before this, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.") So Simon got experience something we never can imagine, helping our Savior carry the cross up the hill to his place of execution. The place where all of God's wrath poured down, the place where Love was poured out, the place where all of human history took a 180 turn, the place where Life was started. He got to put the same wood across his back that the weight of all of human history was about to be placed on. He not only got to be there, but he got to help. Of course, Jesus had the hard part. Jesus carried the cross, when Simon just carried the wood. Hmm... I like that. Jesus carried the cross, when Simon just carried the wood.
The distinction comes when you think about it as, well different things.
-Jesus had the wrath of God on Him, the guilt of every sin every committed on Him (pssh, we crumble at the feeling one or two), He had the feeling of God turning away from Him, forsaking Him. A promise he makes us that He'll never leave or forsake us, yet He did it to his own Son for us. He wasn't just carrying wood, he was carrying the world.
-Jesus carried the cross, when Simon just carried the wood. I think about us and how that applies to us today. One difference between the two was the result, how that event carried out in the two's lives. For Simon, probably just some physical fatigue, worn out from having to carry wood up a hill for possibly a few miles. Yeah, he's probably pretty wiped. But for Jesus, it killed Him. He was beaten and bruised along the way. Jesus suffered so much not only physical but also mental anguish. To have your best closest friend, your Dad, your hero, the one your most closest and most intimate with turn your back on you in your darkest moment. This was at great cost. Physical fatigue you rest up, get some food, and you'll be alright. This kind of emotional and mental loss changes you. I think sometimes maybe we often are carrying wood, a hard or stressful situation, maybe it's just inconvenient, and we think we're carrying our cross, but it's just wood. With some alone time, some food, and some rest. We'll pretty much bounce back. But there's other times when we carry our cross, when deep emotional matter. (It's kinda like a mission trip for example. Physical labor for someone is great. Appreciated and definitely helpful. But sitting down with them and being able to connect with them, to feel their pain, to help carry their load with them, to experience what they experience, that is more of carrying the cross. Those types of events change you forever, you can't just rest of from them and be fine again. Carrying the cross deals with the heart and face rather than the hands and the feet.)
Kind of unrelated but something else that stood out was that Jesus was never about Himself. After all, this was the greatest act in all of human history, and he just keeps giving. Not soaking it up. But asking for forgiveness for those who are doing this to him. He just keeps giving, he's still outwardly focused. He keeps giving. He gives forgiveness and makes an effort to show to the other thief that he cares and loves him even in the worst point in His life. It just amazes me. I want to be like Jesus. How much love did he have, how much effort did he spent showing that love. wow. I. . . I. . . just amazed.
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