The Cross That Doesn’t Reach

Several years ago I saw this picture. I took great exception to it for many reasons.Click on the picture to see a larger version.

The man finds his burden too great and asks God for help to lighten it. He asks for help twice. And this is entirely Biblical:

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you.” Psalm 55:22

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matt. 11:28

“For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’” Isaiah 41:13

After his cross has been lightened, the man is grateful and thanks the Lord. As is proper.

Then the man comes to the chasm. The others lay down their crosses as a bridge in order to travel on. The man’s cross is too short and won’t reach. This leaves the man in great despair.

This is NOT how it should end! There was no reason for the man to be faulted for asking the Lord to help him. It implies that he is denied entrance (to Heaven?) because of his weakness in carrying the full cross.

Someone else has ALREADY carried the full cross! And conquered it!

The way it SHOULD have ended (in my opinion) is that one of the others should’ve SHARED their cross and they BOTH could have traveled over. The other way it could’ve gone is for someone to help him carry that cross in the first place.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

Being a follower of Jesus Christ doesn’t mean everything is a bed of roses. We WILL have burdens. Sometimes very heavy ones. And some people hid their burdens (crosses) so no one else will see them. Brothers and sisters in Christ should come together to share these burdens.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

1 Thess 5:11