Called To Carry
Called To Carry
Mark 15:21
Tamika Brown
Accused. Arrested. Mocked. Judged.
Often, on our journey towards our promise, people around us will do all these things to us. They will smile and pretend that we are “oh-so-great” when there is an appropriate audience around to view the spectacle. But as soon as the opportunity strikes, so too, do they. The chief priests seized their moment and through deceit and whispers, paved the way for Pilate to sentence Jesus to death by crucifixion.
Isn’t it funny how there are always those whose main purpose seems to be to collect others around them to sow discord? These are the saints and ain’ts who throw stones then hide their hands or quote a scripture. These days we call this behavior “performative”, when people show up as one thing but behave as something entirely different. But anyway, that’s a different discussion. I’ll move on.
Pilate falls right in line. Even though he knows that the chief priests are up to no good, he does what is safe to protect his position. There are Pilates all around us. They know people are being mistreated, derided, and gossiped about, yet they say nothing. They see the people being chief petty officers (if you know, you know) yet do nothing. Pilate represents the status quo; represents how we so often go along to get along even though it is eroding our very foundation, our very being.
Enter Simon, man from Cyrene, father of Alexander and Rufus. Simply by passing through, likely on his way to Passover worship, he has a life-changing experience. Simon was interrupted on his chosen path. Simon met Jesus and His cross.
We don’t know much about Simon. By all accounts he was an ordinary passerby. He wasn’t a deacon or minister or doctor or reverend or any of the other titles saints and ain’ts grip so tightly to, in what they say, is service to the Kingdom. On the journey to our promise, we have to be so careful where we place our focus. God’s intent for us is not to always have to TELL people our God-purpose, we are meant to SHOW who we are by our actions, by the way we treat people, by the way we lead with love. And, if you have to constantly explain it, how true is it? Are you really walking your talk?
God chooses the people who are FOR the people. Although Simon was COMPELLED by the guards, he was CHOSEN by God for this assignment. So many times, in life we are compelled to do things because we have no choice. There are decisions that have to be made based on our current circumstances or situations. And in those moments, we, like Simon, may be disheartened, saddened or even angry about what we feel forced to do but God.
Like Simon, all along the way, we may be compelled into directions that are different from what WE had planned but we must continue moving forward. Someone needs our light; someone needs us to push through our disruptions and disappointments. Someone needs us to BE present, with the people + for the people.
Despite what it may look like based on the behaviors of those around us, we are not called into positions or titles; we are called into our PURPOSE. We are Called to Carry.
Called to Carry what? I’m glad you asked! We are each called to:
Mark 15:21
Tamika Brown
Accused. Arrested. Mocked. Judged.
Often, on our journey towards our promise, people around us will do all these things to us. They will smile and pretend that we are “oh-so-great” when there is an appropriate audience around to view the spectacle. But as soon as the opportunity strikes, so too, do they. The chief priests seized their moment and through deceit and whispers, paved the way for Pilate to sentence Jesus to death by crucifixion.
Isn’t it funny how there are always those whose main purpose seems to be to collect others around them to sow discord? These are the saints and ain’ts who throw stones then hide their hands or quote a scripture. These days we call this behavior “performative”, when people show up as one thing but behave as something entirely different. But anyway, that’s a different discussion. I’ll move on.
Pilate falls right in line. Even though he knows that the chief priests are up to no good, he does what is safe to protect his position. There are Pilates all around us. They know people are being mistreated, derided, and gossiped about, yet they say nothing. They see the people being chief petty officers (if you know, you know) yet do nothing. Pilate represents the status quo; represents how we so often go along to get along even though it is eroding our very foundation, our very being.
Enter Simon, man from Cyrene, father of Alexander and Rufus. Simply by passing through, likely on his way to Passover worship, he has a life-changing experience. Simon was interrupted on his chosen path. Simon met Jesus and His cross.
We don’t know much about Simon. By all accounts he was an ordinary passerby. He wasn’t a deacon or minister or doctor or reverend or any of the other titles saints and ain’ts grip so tightly to, in what they say, is service to the Kingdom. On the journey to our promise, we have to be so careful where we place our focus. God’s intent for us is not to always have to TELL people our God-purpose, we are meant to SHOW who we are by our actions, by the way we treat people, by the way we lead with love. And, if you have to constantly explain it, how true is it? Are you really walking your talk?
God chooses the people who are FOR the people. Although Simon was COMPELLED by the guards, he was CHOSEN by God for this assignment. So many times, in life we are compelled to do things because we have no choice. There are decisions that have to be made based on our current circumstances or situations. And in those moments, we, like Simon, may be disheartened, saddened or even angry about what we feel forced to do but God.
Like Simon, all along the way, we may be compelled into directions that are different from what WE had planned but we must continue moving forward. Someone needs our light; someone needs us to push through our disruptions and disappointments. Someone needs us to BE present, with the people + for the people.
Despite what it may look like based on the behaviors of those around us, we are not called into positions or titles; we are called into our PURPOSE. We are Called to Carry.
Called to Carry what? I’m glad you asked! We are each called to:
- Love.
- Encourage.
- Learn.
- Teach.
- Forgive.
- Be courageous.
- Stand for what it right.
- Grow.
- Change.
- Walk in our purpose.
- Be revolutionary.
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