The cross is an unlikely choice for the symbol of a religion. The Jews have the Star of David as their symbol; the Buddhists a Lotus flower; Muslims display a Crescent and star. These symbols were beautiful or good from the beginning. The cross was a horrible form of execution.

Max Lucado understands: “Would you wear a tiny electric chair around your neck? Suspend a gold-plated hangman’s noose on the wall? Would you print a picture of a firing squad on a business card? Yet we do so with the Cross.”

Perhaps you can relate to my experience. I often forget the offensiveness of the Cross. I see crosses everywhere and they are beautiful to me:

• Many years ago in Europe I saw beautiful, ornate crosses decorating ancient cathedrals.
• A few years ago in Hawaii I took pictures of two crosses which are perched up high and framed by the beautiful Hawaiian landscape.
• I think of the tiny crosses on bracelets that I’ve seen on the delicate wrists of my precious daughters.

I have loved the Cross for so long now that I sometimes forget that the Bible calls it an offense, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles…

[ Read the rest of this blog on Pastor LePage's blog, Keep Your Head. ]