| The Best Things in Life |
Chapter 10 |
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The cross of Jesus was terrible in its torture, but we know what came of it. It was his way to his glory and the way of redemption for the world. What was true in such an infinite way of the cross of the Son of God is true in lesser way, but no less truly of every cross tat God lays on any of his children. The beautiful legend tells us that the crown of thorns, when found, lay through Passion Week in all its cruel aspect, but Easter morning appeared changed, every thorn a glorious rose. The legend is true in a spiritual sense of any crown of thorns our Father permits us to wear. They will blossom into garlands of flowers on our head. That is the way with all the painful things which God sends into our lives – in the end they will be transformed. We need never be afraid of God’s crosses.
Jesus bids us take up our cross, whatever it is, and follow him. No matter how the cross comes to be ours, if only it is a real cross, we are to lift it and bear it. We must not drag it, but take it up. That means that we are to accept it cheerfully. Jesus endured his cross and its shame with joy. He sang a hymn of praise as he left the upper room. The world never saw such a cross as his. It was like a dark mountain as it rested down upon him, but he faltered not as he took it up. We are to take up our crosses in the same glad, cheerful spirit.
We are bidden to take up our cross daily. There are some of Christ’s friends who have to carry their cross day after day through years. It is never lifted off. “Let him take up his cross daily.” There will come no days when we can lay it down and get a little rest from its weight. A young woman who was lamed by the carelessness of another was told the other day that she cannot hope ever to be cured, that she must always be a sufferer, must always be a cripple. It is not easy to accept such a burden and to be cheerful under it. But that is the cross which in some form or other many have to take up daily.
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