Take Up Your Cross

Jesus asks people to pick up their cross and follow him. The image of the cross in those days was not a pretty religious symbol, but a ghastly instrument of torture; people saw many horrible scenes of people hanging on crosses. So, the fact that Jesus used these words to motivate people to follow meant that he had deeper intentions. He was saying that life can be difficult when you choose to follow him. Commitment to follow Jesus involves choosing to substitute our own needs to follow a call beyond ourselves.