Simon of Cyrene

Simon is another character in the bible that you usually only read about at Easter time. He is the man that the Roman soldiers seized and made him help carry the cross with Jesus. “And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross to carry behind Jesus.” (Luke 23:26).

The soldiers were becoming impatient because it was taking longer than they wanted it to. They were afraid Jesus wouldn’t make it to the hill where He would be crucified. As Jesus grew weaker, they grabbed a man out of the crowd and made him help carry the cross. He was just watching what was happening, but all of a sudden he was helping Jesus carry His cross.

In the movie, “The Passion of the Christ” Simon of Cyrene is depicted just as we might have imagined him: resentful, even bitter at first, about the Cross he was compelled to bear. He was simply a man on his way to something else when fate, on that day, pulled him out of the crowd and into a scene that would change his life forever.

Imagine being there, watching the horrible scene as soldiers mercilessly whipped and pushed our Savior as He carried the cross. I remember when I first saw the movie, “The Passion of the Christ,” I would shout to myself, “Stop it! Stop hitting Him!” I wanted to jump in and do something about it. That was easy to say and think from the safety and comfort of my theater chair.

But on that day, Simon was seized by the soldiers and forced to carry the cross. It wasn’t by choice and he couldn’t refuse. He had to pick up the cross and follow Jesus. When you think about it, there are times in life that we can feel exactly like Simon did.

We are just going about life when all of a sudden there is a bad diagnosis, no money, a loved one leaves, the job ends. Our life is changed in a moment and we can’t opt out of the circumstances. We too are forced into a situation that we didn’t choose and now our only option is to pick up that cross and follow Jesus.

Jesus knew all about that cross, the weight of it, and the reason for it and the pain it would cause, but He kept going one step at time, because He knew what the end result would be when it was finished. He knows all about the crosses we bear too.

As Simon carried the cross, Jesus was ever before Him leading the way. I like the scene in the movie where Jesus and Simon’s arms cross each other and they continue together. What do you think was going through Simon’s mind as he made the journey to the hill? As a spectator he saw the crowds from the sidelines and Jesus as He passed by. This was a tragic event that caught his attention, but didn’t personally affect him.

But when he was the one carrying the cross he saw everything differently. The shouts, although aimed at Jesus, were heard by him. He now felt the pain from whip, carrying the cross and the emotion of everything going on around him. This had become personal. He was now experiencing the suffering from the view of Jesus.

How do we respond to the suffering of others? Many times we feel the shock of news and pray for them, but after that what do we do? Are we like the spectators that see the tragedy and let it pass by unaffected? Or do we step in and help them carry that burden to the end? What response would we want from others when we are the ones carrying the burden?

By the end of Simon’s brief journey with Christ, he was changed. In the film, he was now compelled from within himself to remain there with Christ, to finish it. That’s exactly what we would want someone to do for us when we unexpectedly are forced to carry a cross of suffering, remain with us and help carry the burden.

We get to be like Jesus when we walk with others through their suffering and we get to help lighten their burden and take it step by step until the purpose if fulfilled. As we carry our own crosses we can know that Jesus is always leading the way and we are not alone. He knows. He understands and He will see us through to the end.

Simon may have borne the cross part of the way to Golgotha, but Jesus bore Simon’s sin (1 John 2:2). When we pick up our cross daily and follow Him, no matter the distance, the pain, the chaos, we can know for sure that Jesus loves us and is carrying that burden with us. We are not alone and we can let others know that they are not alone either.

When we step in and help someone else carry their burden we are showing that we truly are Disciples of Christ.

My prayer

Father, thank you for another touching message from Your word. Lord, when unexpected circumstances come into our lives, please help us to remember the example of Simon of Cyrene. When opportunities arise for us to step in and help others, I pray that we will not only see the need, but will walk with them to the end. Thank you for always walking with us and showing us the way. In Jesus name, amen.

Where does my help come from?

Luke 9:23

“Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

John 13: 34-35

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”