Simon, whom they pressed into service
Matthew 27:32
As Jesus’ time of his earthly humiliation was drawing to an end with His upcoming death on the cross, for Simon of Cyrene, his being made low was only to begin. Jesus’ humiliation would end on the cross, Simon’s, like ours would begin at the cross. The cross came to Simon, unexpectedly, unsolicited, undesired and unattractive.
The cross is unattractive because it offers nothing appealing. The challenge is that there is so little for our flesh to glory in. In fact, to the flesh it is shame. The old nature’s lingering influence in the believer’s life exerts itself in one’s reaction to cross-bearing. The cross exposes the true character of the old nature. The old nature cannot appreciate the cross, nor does it want to. This is what the Apostle Paul means when he wrote that the cross is foolishness. Who needs the cross anyway, never mind having to bear one for Jesus?
The cross is foolishness because our flesh is attracted to the marvelous and the miraculous. Even among the ranks of the redeemed, we are more easily impressed by the marvelous then we are by the unspectacular work of cross-bearing. The work of Jesus’ cross works quietly in the heart, but we tend to be impressed by what our eyes see or our reason can measure. It’s not that we’re against cross-bearing; it’s just that most of us are more content if someone else would do that menial task. We won’t admit it, but we might even consider ourselves above it. We can involve ourselves in the things more associated with glory and awe. My how my flesh is selfish, wanting to steal glory from Jesus for myself. How immature I can be.
Something has to overcome our natural reaction to the cross. It is Jesus Himself. The task before Jesus is to use something the flesh opposes and overwhelm the heart. The Romans used threat of violence toward Simon to get him to bear the cross of Christ. Not so the Lord. He uses love. First that life sacrificing love drew me to the cross. There my eyes were opened as I was born again by the One who bore my sins on the cross. Then He smothers me with more of His love, daily. To bear the cross of Christ to His glory is to bear it in the spirit of gratitude in a heart won over by the fact that Jesus loved me on that cross.
“Lord Jesus. I confess that I have harbored shame toward Your cross. Forgive me. May the glory of Your cross be sufficient for me. May Your love be adequate enough to inspire me to not only appreciate Your cross, but to bear my own with honor.”
