Cross Walk

Life is filled with struggles.

Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They answered, “John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Messiah of God.” He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, saying, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” Then he said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?” - Luke 9:18–25

There is a price we pay for every decision we make.  Sometimes the price is low, and what we gain is greater than what we pay.  Other times, the price is high and we wonder if it is worth the investment or sacrifice.

I know a woman who doesn't have a home. 

She keeps what she doesn't carry with her in a storage locker that she has to earn money to pay for each month.  When she has no place to stay, which is most of the time, she makes her way to a train station that is open all night, and she sleeps sitting up, because the police will tell her to leave if she lies down on the bench.

When it gets really cold or rainy, she meets up with someone she calls her boyfriend and stays with him.  He takes advantage of her, but it beats getting robbed or worse on the street.

I don't think having a conversation with her about taking up a cross would make much sense.  She already knows about crosses in life.  What Jesus asks is tough.

Know that if you bear life's crosses and follow Him, you will gain much in God's Kingdom.  What about now?

I guess the message is really for us.  We see people with heavy crosses to bear and we could do something to lighten their load, but we don't, or we don't do enough to make a difference in this life, in the kingdom that is here and now.

The solutions to poverty and homelessness are out of reach and insurmountable obstacles to most of us, so we pray that someone will do something, someone in authority, someone in power, with wealth to share.

Yesterday, I noticed the woman had received ashes. 

Now that should not make a difference in how I see her, or whether or not I choose to help her, but it does.

More to come...