CLOSE TO THE CROSS BUT FROM CHRIST
There was some dice-throwing that went on at the foot of the
cross.
Imagine this scene. The soldiers are huddled in a circle, their eyes
turned downward...They gamble for some used clothes. The tunic, the cloak,
the sandals are up for grabs. Each soldier lays his luck on the hard earth,
hoping to expand his wardrobe at the expertise of a cross-killed carpenter.
I wondered what that scene must have looked to Jesus. As he looked
downward past his bloody feet at the circle of gamblers, what did he think?
What emotions did he feel? He must have been amazed. Here are common
soldiers witnessing the world's most uncommon event and they don't even
know it. As far as they are concerned, it's just another Friday morning and
he is just another criminal. "Come on, hurry up; it's my turn!"
"All right, all right -- this throw is for the sandals."
Casting lots for the possessions of Christ. Heads ducked. Eyes
downward. Cross forgotten.
The symbolism is striking. Do you see it?
It makes me think of us. The religious. Those who claim heritage at
the cross. I'm thinking of all of us.
I'm thinking that we aren't so unlike those soldiers (I'm sorry to say.)
We, too, play games at the foot of the cross. We compete for members.
We scramble for status. We deal out judgments and condemnations.
Competitions. selfishness. Personal gain. It's all there. We don't like
what the other did so we take the sandal we won and walk away in a huff.
So close to the timbers, so far from the blood.
We are close to the world's most uncommon event, but we act like
common crapshooters huddled in bickering groups and fighting over silly
opinions.
...How many leaders have saddled their pet peeves, drawn their sword
of bitterness and launched into battle against brethren over issues that
are not worth discussing?
So close to the cross but so far from Christ.
We major in finding gossip and become experts in unveiling
weaknesses. We split into little huddles and then again, God forbid, we
split again.
"Those selfish soldiers," we smirk with our thumbs in lapels. "They
were so close to the cross and yet so far from Christ." And yet, are we so
different?
Are our differences that divisive? Are our opinions that obtrusive?
Are our walls that wide? Is it that impossible to find a common cause?
"May they all be one," Jesus said.
Too idealistic? Impossible to achieve? I don't think so. Harder
things have been done, you know. For example, once upon a tree, a carpenter
gave his life for his creation. Maybe what we need is just a few hours to
follow suit.
What about you? Can you build a bridge? Toss a rope? Span a chasm?
Pray for oneness? can you be the soldier who snaps to his senses, jumps to
his feet, and reminds the rest of us, "Hey, that's God on the cross!"
The similarity between the soldier's game and our game is scary. What
did Jesus think? What does he think today? There is still dice-throwing
going on. And it is at the foot of the cross.
Imagine this scene. The soldiers are huddled in a circle, their eyes
turned downward...They gamble for some used clothes. The tunic, the cloak,
the sandals are up for grabs. Each soldier lays his luck on the hard earth,
hoping to expand his wardrobe at the expertise of a cross-killed carpenter.
I wondered what that scene must have looked to Jesus. As he looked
downward past his bloody feet at the circle of gamblers, what did he think?
What emotions did he feel? He must have been amazed. Here are common
soldiers witnessing the world's most uncommon event and they don't even
know it. As far as they are concerned, it's just another Friday morning and
he is just another criminal. "Come on, hurry up; it's my turn!"
"All right, all right -- this throw is for the sandals."
Casting lots for the possessions of Christ. Heads ducked. Eyes
downward. Cross forgotten.
The symbolism is striking. Do you see it?
It makes me think of us. The religious. Those who claim heritage at
the cross. I'm thinking of all of us.
I'm thinking that we aren't so unlike those soldiers (I'm sorry to say.)
We, too, play games at the foot of the cross. We compete for members.
We scramble for status. We deal out judgments and condemnations.
Competitions. selfishness. Personal gain. It's all there. We don't like
what the other did so we take the sandal we won and walk away in a huff.
So close to the timbers, so far from the blood.
We are close to the world's most uncommon event, but we act like
common crapshooters huddled in bickering groups and fighting over silly
opinions.
...How many leaders have saddled their pet peeves, drawn their sword
of bitterness and launched into battle against brethren over issues that
are not worth discussing?
So close to the cross but so far from Christ.
We major in finding gossip and become experts in unveiling
weaknesses. We split into little huddles and then again, God forbid, we
split again.
"Those selfish soldiers," we smirk with our thumbs in lapels. "They
were so close to the cross and yet so far from Christ." And yet, are we so
different?
Are our differences that divisive? Are our opinions that obtrusive?
Are our walls that wide? Is it that impossible to find a common cause?
"May they all be one," Jesus said.
Too idealistic? Impossible to achieve? I don't think so. Harder
things have been done, you know. For example, once upon a tree, a carpenter
gave his life for his creation. Maybe what we need is just a few hours to
follow suit.
What about you? Can you build a bridge? Toss a rope? Span a chasm?
Pray for oneness? can you be the soldier who snaps to his senses, jumps to
his feet, and reminds the rest of us, "Hey, that's God on the cross!"
The similarity between the soldier's game and our game is scary. What
did Jesus think? What does he think today? There is still dice-throwing
going on. And it is at the foot of the cross.
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