What is the Cross?

The cross can be seen on top of every church building, inside every sanctuary, hung on the walls at home, and worn around necks.  But what does it represent?

Yes, we know that the cross represents the fact that Jesus died on the cross, but what does the cross represent about the people wearing it/using it?

For some people, it's a symbol of their pride.  They wear it and show it off, thinking that it gives them a higher status in their social ladder.  Others use it as a symbol of hate.  They use the cross as an excuse to degrade others and humiliate those they disagree with.  Still others would use the cross as a social connector.  Do you wear the cross?  Me too!  Let's be friends.

But what does the cross really stand for?

The cross isn't some piece of jewelry or a cute symbol to be added on to a shirt.  The cross represents humility and shame.  At the time Jesus was crucified, the cross was taken up by those that were the worst of the worst.  The lowest of the criminals.  It was the most brutal way to die.  Those that were on the cross were mocked by everyone.  And the so-called king of the heavens ended up dying the worst of a sinner's death.  But we hang that cross to remind ourselves that it happened.  That Jesus went through all that for us.  In the ritual of it all, sometimes we forget, and our children grow up not knowing the true meaning behind the cross.  Jesus didn't just die.  He didn't just get the death penalty.  He went out of this life the worst way any human could leave.

But He came back.  And that's the true miracle of it all.