“Did I ever tell you about the time…?”
March 29, 2024
My Dad, like many Dads, had many good stories to share with my family (he also had some bad Dad jokes). He told wonderful stories about his childhood, his time in military service, his courtship with my Mom, and many other events of his life. And I was intentional about making sure I had heard every possible story my Dad cared to share before he passed away.
My good Dad stories make me think of a Dad, in the Bible, whose story may make many Dad stories pale in comparison. Mark 15:20-21 speaks of the crucifixion of Christ and tells us of the father of Alexander and Rufus –
20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him. 21 And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.
Simon of Cyrene is described as a passerby who was compelled to carry the cross of Jesus. And the description goes on to mention Simon’s sons, Alexander and Rufus. Honestly, as many times as I have read Mark 15, I never paused to reflect on Simon’s role as a father. I knew he carried Jesus’ cross, but I glossed right over the fact that he was a Dad to Alexander and Rufus.
Can you imagine Simon saying to his sons, “Did I ever you tell you about the time I was in Jerusalem minding my own business when…?” Perhaps Simon mentioned to Alexander and Rufus that he was not a spectator that day, but rather, he was a passerby pulled out of the crowd by a Roman soldier. He may have also mentioned that it was not his desire or plan to carry Jesus’ cross, but he was forced, or compelled, to do so.
My Dad was a 2nd lieutenant navigator in the United States Army Air Force and his service was one that interrupted his own plans and life at home in order to protect freedom and save lives. Simon’s compelled cross-carrying was also about an interruption that led to the redemption of the world and the freeing of people from the penalty of sin as a result of Jesus’ shedding His blood on that cross.
Interruptions and cross carrying is still in style, but as a daily calling and not simply a one and done calling. Luke 9:23 tells us to take up our cross daily –
And he[Jesus] said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
What does take up our cross require? It may require allowing Jesus to interrupt our lives and our agenda. Taking up our cross is when our plans our interrupted to do whatever God needs us to do. It may be as simple as praying with someone, apologizing to someone, or giving to the poor. It may be when God interrupts our social media scrolling in order to spend time with our family or in the Word of God.
Taking up our cross daily is when Jesus calls upon us to do something for Him. And it may not be something that the masses cheer us on about. There is no record in Scripture that anyone cheered for Simon. However, we shouldn’t worry about our fan base when we daily take up our cross; we should focus on serving an Audience of One!
As my family continues to regale each other with stories, albeit without Dad, I pray the sum total of my stories will be that Jesus interrupted me so much that I no longer had plans of my own.