Meaningful Cross-bearing

Then Jesus told his disciples,

“If any want to become my followers,

let them deny themselves and take up

their cross and follow me.

For those who want to save their life will lose it,

and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

(from Mt. 16:21-28)

My college life included taking a rural bus to town and walking to nearby Asbury Methodist Church.

Asbury was a large church in the center of Greeneville, Tennessee seating about 6-700 worshippers.

In 1958 it had a traditional service; hymns, scripture, preaching, and choral anthem.

The enduring memory I have of that worship was the closing chorus: verse 1 of Hymn 424: "Must Jesus bear the cross alone and all the world go free; No, there's a cross for everyone and there's a cross for me."

I felt that being 800 miles away from home, on a floor with students having very different morals from mine, (I don't get drunk on moonshine) was my cross to bear. 

My life journey opened new meanings of "self-denial" and "cross bearing". 

Matthew's fairly vague about self-denial, making it easy to misunderstand. 

Self-denial definitely doesn't mean remaining in an abusive situation and considering it one’s “cross to bear" and playing the victim. 

Neither is self-denial avoiding life's joys, blessings, and responsibilities calling it "self-sacrifice".

Denying myself chocolate during Lent isn't really self-denial.

Cross-bearing is better explained by Paul in Romans 12:9-21 where he lists virtues, actions, and attitudes.

Clearly, for Jesus, cross-bearing meant a price paid in blood. 

There people who like, Jesus, paid the price in blood, such as John the Baptizer, Stephen, and Oscar Romero.

For me, cross-bearing means serving others, as Jesus did, with compassion as one of God’s faithful disciples.

I think cross-bearing is about setting aside my agenda to meet others' needs, such as the hungry, the homeless, and the poor.

Cross-bearing means to me resisting evil, injustice and oppression forms they present themselves.

These types of cross-bearing bring a meaningful life, provide a glimpse of God’s Kingdom, and offer hope in hopeless situations.

Think about it: What crosses has God asked you to take up so far, and what has been their impact?