I wasn't going to post until after Easter, but this question has started to bug me: do we glamorize too easily the cross? I'm sure everyone who goes to church regularly has some form of a cross in their home: be it a piece of artwork, jewelry, something. I myself have cross earrings, a cross necklace, and two crosses hanging on my wall that I've been given as gifts.
But I guess I'm asking myself if I really should display those crosses. Should I really display crosses as jewelry? I mean, in Jesus' day the cross was ugly, cruel, and symbolic of a severe punishment. And I've heard preachers and other people say how we've become all too comfortable with glamorizing the cross. I suppose it's a matter of how you personally feel about the matter: for me, I'm not comfortable with showcasing more than a couple, or having jewelry that is so blingy that it's gaudy. Lately, though, I've been wondering if I should display anything at all out of respect. Will it lead to me trashing every cross in my home? No, probably not.
On the same note, I feel as if when I wear my cross jewelry that it's what every other "Christian" does. Think about it: how many "Christians" do you know who wear at least one piece of cross jewelry? I am willing to guess that nearly all of your "Christian" friends own at least one piece of cross jewelry. What about people who are "Christian" but their lives/choices don't match up with their preaching? When I see those people, and if they are wearing a cross, I think, "How hypocritical. Wearing a cross doesn't prove that you are a Christ-follower. Wearing a cross just says that you think it's a good piece of jewelry", but then I remember that I myself am guilty of wearing the same kind of jewelry. I wear my jewelry sporadically. I wear my Christian t-shirts a little more often because most all of them have a great message to them, and I know that I'm trying to live by whatever that message might be.
The preacher who substituted for my dad 2 weeks ago had 2 great sermons that Sunday. One of them centered on how we are too concerned with how people approve of us instead of being concerned about our hearts before the Lord. He said, "I really dislike the term Christian because it is over-used, over-simplified, and applies to nearly everybody. In the Bible, there are maybe 2 or 3 mentions of the actual word, 'Christian', while "disciple" or "Christ-follower" appears many, many, many more times. That's what I label myself as: a Christ-Follower." That really was a great point: you ask people if they're a Christian and they say, "yeah, I grew up going to church, I'm not a bad person, etc...". Christian applies to almost every person who wishes to apply it to themselves. Not to mention, people tend to think of Christians as being hypocritical all the time. So, if anyone ever asks me if I'm a Christian, I'll say, "No, I'm not. I'm a Christ-follower, which are two different things."
Okay, well, I've kinda run out of things to say, so I'll close this by asking you to consider your heart this Easter. Is it in line with God? Is your will submitting to His? Are your choices reflecting the desires of YOUR heart, or God's? If you'll consider these, so will I. I plan on it.
