Today I was thinking about the cross. I'm not sure why; I just was. I think maybe it was because I saw a picture of a woman who was wearing the cross on a necklace. It was a glittery cross that was sure to attract attention to her chest. So just what is the message people are trying to relay when they wear a cross as jewelry?When you think about it, the cross was an instrument of torture and death. Had Jesus been convicted and sentenced to death in the 17th or 18th centuries, He would most likely have been killed on a rack or by being burned at the stake. So, would people be wearing racks on a necklace today if that were the case? I mean, I've seen Christian women with nice racks but that's not what we're talking about here....
In the case of the woman in the picture, I don't know if she was a Christian or not. But then again, why would a non-Christian wear a cross necklace? Maybe to keep vampires away or maybe just to draw attention to herself. It seems odd to me that we've taken a wooden instrument of torture and death and we've glamorized it with all kinds of silver and gold and sparkles and diamonds. What is the message?
For me, the cross symbolizes the sacrifice that Jesus made on my behalf. What's important is that the cross is empty; Jesus didn't stay there. He died, was buried, and then He was resurrected to give us eternal life. Here's a thought...while the cross symbolizes Jesus' death, maybe I'll wear a stone on a necklace to symbolize the stone that was rolled away when He was resurrected. It will symbolize the eternal life that I have with Him. Maybe I'll bedazzle it all up; but I doubt it. It's not about attracting attention to me...it's about remembering what He did on my behalf.
Hey, I'm not a hater of anyone who wears the cross on a necklace...I just think that as a Christian everything we do should point others to Jesus. If the cross you wear around your neck brings more attention to you (man or woman) than it does to Jesus, maybe you should button a few more buttons or buy a smaller necklace.
Be Well.
