Cross-Eyed People
“...all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe – people and things, animals and atoms – get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of His death, His blood that poured down from the Cross.
“You yourselves are a case study...At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of Him, giving Him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving Himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God’s side and put your lives together.”
Colossians 1:20-22 (MSG)
One of the goals of companies these days is to come up with a high-impact logo that has the potential to get indelibly fixed in people’s minds. A symbol with enough appeal, that when people see it, they will not only think of the company, but will want to buy the company’s product.
Let me give you a few examples.
Nike was the Greek goddess of victory. I don’t know that she invented the “swoosh,” but in our day that swoosh has become the sign of a winner.
Here’s a second one.
This logo of the Golden Arches belongs to McDonalds, the home of the Happy Meal. We see that logo and think: Happiness.
Then there’s this one.
No, it’s not a peace sign. Think cars. Right, Mercedes Benz. This is a sign of Status.
Victory...Happiness...Status.
Some of the smartest people in our world stay up late at night trying to dream up these compelling symbols. So when you see one, you think, “I’d like to be associated with what that logo stands for.”
The Symbol of Hope
That brings us to a very intriguing issue because, for 2,000 years, the most widely recognized symbol of the Christian faith has been two pieces of wood stuck together on which convicted criminals were executed.
And the question that begs to be asked is, “Why?” If you were trying to create a movement that would attract men and women to it, why in the world would you choose something that triggered thoughts of death?
The cross wasn’t a sign of victory, but of defeat. It wasn’t a sign of joy, but of sorrow. It wasn’t a sign of status, but of humiliation.
What changed all of that? How have we come to the place where crosses are among the most purchased pieces of jewelry and most popular choices for tattoos?
Moreover, why is it that along the roads and highways of America, there are crosses set up? What’s the thinking behind these?
Well, they mark the site where a loved one was killed, right? The survivors are making a statement: “We want to acknowledge that someone special died here. And we want all of you who pass by to acknowledge it as well.”
But, of all things, why a cross? Why THAT? I’d suggest to you that the cross is chosen because, more than any other logo, it speaks of hope.
In the N.T. book of Colossians, having described the universal brokenness – not only of humankind but the entire universe due to sin – the Apostle Paul shares how the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross allowed for redemption and recovery across the board. He underscores the fact that the cross is not simply the symbol of our hope, it is the reason for our hope.
The cross is not simply the symbol of our hope, it is the reason for our hope.
Let me encourage you to take a moment right now and look to the cross. Remember Christ’s sacrifice and rejoice in all that is yours because of it. I think you’ll find the more cross-eyed you become, the more clearly you’ll see through the fog of pain and suffering… to the hope rising with the Son.
Prayer:
Jesus, Thank you for allowing your body to be broken that this broken world can be made whole. Thank you, as well, that I can share in that wholeness and have that hope for all eternity.
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