Sad Symbols of Allegience - 1/22/2017

WARNING PREACHY…

²² And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

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. ²⁴ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. ²⁵ What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? (Luke 9:22-25)

My daughter drew a picture with all the colors that she had.  She’s 11 years old and as girly as they come.  She would have used more colors in her picture if they were in the box, and if she had had sparkles to glue to it, she would have made it perfect.  

It’s funny how little girls just do that, they are not like little boys who basically have just two colors; white and black or blue and red.  But little girls, they always seem to want every color of the rainbow in their drawings, and they seem to have an innate sense to put all those colors into the ROY-G-BIV order so it looks like a rainbow.

What I learned from her picture was just how politicized our world has become. 

Someone on Facebook saw and commented on the picture.  They commented on the rainbow as though she were supporting their political movement: as if my 11 year old had something more significant in mind with her picture than just using every color she could get her hands on. 

As I contemplate this, I am saddened that a little girl cannot even draw a simple picture without it being politicized by someone seeking to find support for their political cause.  I know that politics are not new to our world but I really was saddened by this.

People have politicized their points of view in order to gain support with the masses.  But for me, I need something that is not so self-focused in order to make it relevant for the world.  That’s why the only symbol that I hold dear is the cross of Christ. 

The Cross symbolizes selflessness.  The cross is not American, Russian, Canadian, or Australian.  It does not promote Republicans or Democrats even if they try their darndest to make us think that it does.  It is not the emblem of pro-life or pro-choice or is it concerned with a sexual preference and it certainly is not promoting who are what we are married to.   It’s not pro-labor, unionized, nor is it in favor of the company’s bottom line.  The Cross stands for none of these things because It’s of far greater significance than any of these political causes or ideals. 

The Cross of Jesus is ugly.  It’s been bloodied by the stripes of the savior.  I am sure that when he was taken down it even had pieces of torn flesh from his back on it.  There may have even been some of his hair left when it dried to the wood.  I am positive that it was grotesque in sight and smell.  Not only did it have the bloodied flesh left on it but it may have even had the wet and dirty of the Savior’s bladder and bowels stained on it.  The Cross of Jesus is truly the emblem of suffering and shame.  And in spite of it, the Cross of Jesus is only about forgiving sinners; we sons and daughters of Adam.

The Cross really is the only selfless symbol that I know of.  On it, Jesus carried out His duty and met the demand of death to pay for the sin of mankind.  His single act of righteousness makes us righteous; if we would have it.

So today, if I am to choose a symbol to show allegiance to, it is the Cross.  It may not be pretty, it’s not an attractive ribbon, flag, or rainbow, but it is the only symbol that calls me to selflessly recognize the world around me.  I hope that as my children grow, they will see past the many symbols and ideals that will ask for their allegiance and simply pick up their own cross and follow our Lord.