Pressed into Service

"When they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus.” Luke 23:6 (NASB95)

James Tissot: Simon the Cyrenian Compelled to Carry the Cross with Jesus

On the road to Calvary, we meet an unlikely participant in the story of redemption: Simon of Cyrene. Luke 23:26 tells us that as Jesus struggled under the weight of the cross, the Roman soldiers seized Simon from the crowd and compelled him to carry it behind Jesus. Imagine the shock and confusion Simon must have felt—just passing through Jerusalem for Passover, suddenly thrust into the center of history’s most pivotal moment.

Simon’s experience is a vivid reminder that God often uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways. He didn’t volunteer; he was pressed into service, possibly against his will. Yet, in that moment of burden-bearing, Simon became part of God’s redemptive plan. The cross he carried wasn’t just a physical weight; it signified the cost of following Jesus and the privilege of participating in His work.

We may never literally carry a wooden cross, but we all encounter moments when we’re called to help carry someone else’s burdens—whether through a listening ear, an act of kindness, or sacrificial love. Like Simon, we might not feel ready or willing, but God meets us in those moments and uses our obedience for His greater purposes.

As you go about your day, be open to interruptions and unexpected opportunities to serve. You never know when God might call you, like Simon, to step out of the crowd and help carry the cross. In doing so, you become part of a story far bigger than yourself—a story of hope, redemption, and grace.