A cross on wheels

I saw a photo of a cross on wheels. I do not know the man in it, and this is not about him — it was the image that caught my attention. A cross that is real, visible, even public, but placed on wheels so it can be moved without being carried.

It made me reflect on a kind of Christianity I have unfortunately seen far too often. A faith that wants the symbol of the cross, but looks for ways to avoid its weight. A discipleship that keeps the language, the aesthetics, and the visibility, but quietly searches for shortcuts when it comes to cost, sacrifice, and obedience.

Jesus never invited people to admire the cross, but to carry it daily. The cross was never meant to be efficient, practical, or easy. In many ways, the cross helps shape us, slow us down, and form Christ in us.

The Holy Spirit is not given so that we can avoid the cost of following Jesus, but so that we can pay it. Power in the Christian life is not about bypassing the road of surrender, but being strengthened to walk it faithfully by the Spirit that dwells in us.

We all feel the temptation to put wheels on the cross — to make obedience lighter, faith more manageable, discipleship less demanding. Rather than asking Jesus to make the cross easier to carry, we should invite Him to help us carry it.