Luke 9:23-24

"Then he said to everyone: “If anyone is willing to come after me: let him deny himself, and take up his cross every day, and follow me. For whoever will have saved his life, will lose it. Yet whoever will have lost his life for my sake, will save it."

Imagine for a moment we were able to choose our cross...

So..you are standing in a room with Christ. There are numerous crosses in here. They vary in size, weight and style. Some are very pretty, some very ugly, some heavy, some light etc....

Every cross in the room is for someone you know to carry, family member, child, friend or foe, from young to old.  But you can only choose your own, you can't control who else gets what cross. 

You ponder for a moment what to do. As you look around; do you chose the heaviest in the hopes of sparing someone you love? Do you chose a middle of the road one so you don't look totally selfish choosing a light one, but are worried you can't handle the heavier ones? Are you worried about what those you love will have to carry? Are you picking the big heavy ugly ones in your mind for your enemies? 

Finally.... you chose a different option. 

You turn to Christ, get on your knees and close your eyes. You use your faith and love of Christ to allow him to chose. He is the Almighty and knows what is best for you. As he puts the cross on your back you feel the weight. It feels too heavy. Can you stand with it? Is it to much? Again you have to draw on your faith in Christ and stand. It is heavy. It is not easy but you do it. Keeping your eyes on Him and drawing strength from Him. 

You begin to walk, you stumble but you get back up. You open your eyes and there are people all around struggling with their crosses. Some of them you know, some are complete strangers. You see someone stumble, for a moment you forget about your cross and help them up. As you do your cross gets lighter. You turn and see someone is helping you. And this goes on and on. Every time someone helps you, you see Christ in them and know that he is there. Every time you help someone you see Christ.

We all walk this life alone and together. We all have our crosses to bear. Some heavy, some light, some ugly, some beautiful. We don't see other people crosses, we know that we and those around us struggle and stumble. Do we reach out for help when needed? Do we reach out to help when needed? Do we forgive, even our worst enemies? Not only making our cross lighter but theirs as well.