Lessons from a Novel about Simon of Cyrene
On the fateful day of Christ’s crucifixion, a man name Simon of Cyrene walked with Jesus for a short distance to Golgotha. It was not a walk that Simon the Cyrene had wanted. Indeed he had been physically forced, or compelled to carry Jesus’ cross.
The tender mercy of Simon’s misfortune was that it happened at one of the Savior’s most dire moments. Having been beaten, scourged, and a myriad of other physical, emotional, and mental abuses while also being in the midst of His Atonement for all of God’s children, Simon gave to Christ a respite from having to also bear the burden of hefting the cross.
There is much we do not know about Simon of Cyrene. There are many questions asked about him. However, aside from all the possible questions that can be asked, I wonder how personally walking with the Savior of the world impacted Simon the Cyrene.
Interactions with the Savior are never by Chance
I do not believe interactions with the Prince of Peace are by chance. I believe experiences with the Only Begotten Son always serve a greater purpose then a simple meeting. When the King of Kings graces anyones life we know that person’s life just hit a fork in the road of mortality. Will they allow that experience with The Good Shepherd to bring their heart closer to God the Father, or will they take the Lamb of God and symbolically sacrifice Him anew?
Though we may never know the details of Simon’s life or what happened to Simon of Cyrene after the crucifixion, there are a number of lessons we can learn from him.
For myself the experience of writing a fictional story about Simon the Cyrene changed my perspective on the Atonement of Christ, how I seek to interact with those whose paths I cross, and what it may have meant to personally walk with Immanuel at such a critical moment of his mortal ministry.
Today I would like to share my thoughts about what we can learn from Simon of Cyrene.
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A Lesson in Uncertainty
Life is like a battle, full of uncertainty. National Gallery of Art, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Uncertainty is for certain. You can count on it. Here are two ways uncertainty impacts us.
Unpredictable
Things that are uncertain are unpredictable or you can’t foresee its coming - for example a global pandemic. Though such catastrophes had been envisioned in many stories and movies we expected them to stay within fiction not sweep the world in 2020. The world will never be the same as it was pre-2020. Some knew what effect the right kind of viral strain could have on the world, but for most of us it was the most unexpected occurrence of our life.
Unreliable
Things that are uncertain are unreliable or you may or may not be able to count on it. For example that old beat up high school car (1985 Ford Bronco); it’s either going to get you home or its not; it’s a gamble every time you drive it. Things that are uncertain are precarious. You do not have full trust with them. For example that knife-edge ridge that gets you to the summit of the mountain; what is more precarious your ability to navigate icy boulders with 1,000ft drops on both sides or the shattered rocks ability to not give way?
Uncertainty finds us at the wrong time and in the “are you kidding me, how is this happening now” scenarios. It is no stranger to disrupting things globally, nationally, within communities, in homes, and on individual levels. Uncertainty loves to shake the foundation of what we claim as “the norm.”
Simon’s Unpredictable Experience
As the writing of Simon progressed, particularly chapter seven which focuses on political and religious changes observed in the Roman Empire and the chapters that depict Simon of Cyrene’s time in Jerusalem, I realized that the timeline of the story not only covers a tumultuous period of history, but I created a very disconcerting scenario for Simon as well.
The details of Simon of Cyrene are officially unknown, but we do know that Simon was compelled to carry the cross. Luke wrote that “they laid hold upon Simon.” I don’t know about you, but I do not take well to people “laying hold” of me or compelling me to do anything. Having experienced both I know that both come with an immediate sense of uncertainty, a feeling that I’ve been wronged, and a strong desire to flee. I do not think it a stretch of imagination to suppose Simon would have experienced similar thoughts.
5 Examples of Uncertainty Built into the Novel
Taking into consideration the bewildering experience of being forced to carry a cross as well, as the life story I created of Simon, the five following themes provide comparable examples of uncertainty in our own day:
Religious Uncertainty – with an estimated 4,000+ recognized religions in the world it is not uncommon to find people scripture bashing; debating the benefit of religion; or coming across contradictory religious pamphlets, billboards, signs, and missionaries. All proclaiming to have the “correct” interpretation of the scriptures or guidance of divinity. Many throw their hands in the air and say, “Its too bewildering for me.” Others only believe in science. We ask the common five questions: who, where, what, when, how, why? A billion questions stemming from those simple words and a billion answers flung our direction.
One does not have to look beyond pride to understand why religious leaders in the time of Simon of Cyrene were all too willing to crucify Jesus of Nazareth. To them He threatened their understanding of the scriptures. His teachings meant a change of lifestyle. His purpose altered their perception of their place in the world and what was “due” to them. In essence all that they held dear was in a shadow of uncertainty should Jesus of Nazareth be allowed to live.
Simon of Cyrene happened to find himself at the climatic outcome of that uncertainty. When our lives crash into the uncertainty, it is certain we don’t know what our outcome will be.
Political Unrest – Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Right, conservative, Left, Federalism, Socialism, Democracy, Communism. Just looking at the positions available across the political spectrum causes anxiety. Unless you live 100% off grid your life will be impacted by politics (odds are you went off grid because of politics).
Added to the fray are many forms of government. When governments clash uncertainty is what is dealt. But it is not just national governments. Coalitions of nations, individual nations, states, counties, cities, towns it is all governed by lines on a map. Combine the complexity of government with the boundary void “government” of religion and a wonderful kaleidoscope of unrest is bound to exist. Scroll through any leading news feed and plenty of articles will reveal how close politics, economies, education, and religion are tied together.
Step back 2000 years to the Roman Empire that was very “open to religion” but was seeking to maintain order and political power in a region where many of the people didn’t want the presence of the empire.
Within the novel “Simon” I positioned Simon as trying to navigate both. But like any fence sitter there comes a moment where a side must be chosen.
Economical Concerns – Stock markets go up and down, national currencies become stronger or weaker, prices for everything only go up, but somehow our salaries never seem to keep pace. Global, national, and individual financial concerns plague our hearts and minds from the moment we receive our first hard life lesson in economics.
Financial anxiety is a common thread that connects all individuals past, present, and future, especially for those who reside within a society where money, wealth, and status are prevalent.
Roman cities and presence were a physical expression of wealth and status. Religious groups at the time were either all in to display their wealth or the exact opposite. Simon’s world experienced the opulent in its grandest scale while also living shoulder to shoulder with extreme poverty. I positioned Simon as seeking to improve his status and that of his family based on a foundation of fear for loosing status and ending up like the impoverished.
Familial Pressures – Whether you have experienced it first hand, seen it in a movie, or read it in a book you are familiar with the idea of “Party A” having a plan for “Party B” and Party B had better do what Party A has planned for them (i.e. “Son, I built this business from the ground up and you will take it over when I’m too old to take care of it anymore.”) This type of pressure can take many forms: you don’t marry people of a different group, we your parents disown you if you convert to that religion, I’m sorry our family only goes to such and such university.
Back in Simon of Cyrene’s time culture, tradition, and expectations to align ones life with the established norm of the group may have been even stronger than they are today. After all, we have technology that brings ease of global information giving us a wide view of societies, cultures, traditions, points of view, theology, and sciences to our attention. This deluge of information is changing the way people live on a scale that has never been seen.
To parallel Simon’s day with our own, while still seeking a possible angle for Simon’s life the novel positions Simon as seeking to be true to his ancestral and religious roots while trying to broaden perspectives. In a setting of strict tradition you can imagine the waves such a life could create among family and community.
Self-Fulfillment – You have spent decades working toward a specific goal. The time, sweat, work, anxiety, highs and lows lay behind you on a path you cut by your dedicated efforts. That road has come to define you, it is who you are. It is your future. It is your legacy. What happens when the thing that defines us is challenged or is broken? Or worse, our life is rendered to a situation where we are no longer able to pursue that path. How do we start anew?
Hopes and dreams, goals and ambition are not sentiments and pursuits of our day alone. These are as eternal as the heavens. No doubt Simon had his own and it is very possible his shattered when he was compelled to carry the cross.
These five themes were woven throughout the story of “Simon”. Whether today or two thousand years ago, life is complex. We must navigate through the roadblocks, challenges, frustrations, and uncertainties that confront us. What I learned in the writing of Simon is that having a solid purpose in life helps us navigate troubled waters.
A lesson from Simon included in the book is that there were three firm foundations in Simon’s life: his business, family, and religion. Throughout the story all of those get rattled, but never all three at once. Thus, he can lean on the ones that are strong to find his way through the one that is being challenged.
My Takeaway: life will rarely rattle all our foundations at once, which means if we know our core, what we stand for, what is most important to us, and what we believe then we can control our actions by leaning on the principles that remain strong. From time to time parts of our core my be shaken but others will be firm. Hold tight to those and you will get through. But what happens when those principles change?
A Lesson in Change
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The “Cosmic Cliffs” is a snapshot of change in the making. James Webb Telescope image.
In this story I established Simon of Cyrene as having no doubt about his work, legacy, and purpose. All of that comes crashing down at Golgotha. On one hand his walk with Christ marked the different path he would pursue after he left Jerusalem. On the other hand it marked the death of everything he was working for.
Because of carrying the cross and the circumstances that transpired at Golgotha Simon’s life changed. In part due to external situations that were beyond Simon’s control and in part due to realizations that altered Simon’s perspective. We too must confront both of those factors (external and internal) throughout life.
Those factors do not change who we are or the skills we have developed. In the case of Simon they placed him on a new path where he could leverage his skills and abilities to drive at something more impactful than the legacy he had pursued. Simon made a decision to embrace change, that change didn’t change who Simon was, but the change altered his perspective, focus, and goals.
My Takeaway: let us be open to higher possibilities, more noble opportunities, and believe in ourself to succeed. When a better path is revealed put all your energy and intent into it. Be grateful for the road that led you to this realization and the skills you developed along the way. Now take those and do something great! Keeping in mind things could adjust again, perhaps even many times.
The Personal Nature of Christ’s Atonement
An element I knew I wanted to build into the story from the day I began writing it was how God prepares us for experiences we will encounter throughout life. I wanted to portray Simon of Cyrene as one prepared to carry the cross. By including that theme, it opened up a whole new realm of Christ’s involvement in our lives and why he suffered for each and every one of us.
In the chapters that provide backstory into Simon’s life there are subtle lessons learned that mold and shape Simon’s character, the way he thinks, the way he works, and the way he interacts with others. All of these helped prepare him to have the heart and mind necessary to recognize the Messiah, even when both his heart and mind were at war with the situation.
My Takeaway: this theme seeks to recognize the possible lessons God is teaching me. Perhaps something that happened in my twenties has taken fifteen years to mature to help me with something today. Maybe that moment where I consciously stopped to help someone builds within me a stronger resolve to stand in a moment where my heart or mind scream at me to sit later in life.
The Events at Golgotha
Another part of the book that had a deep impact on me was the writing of the events at Golgotha. Not only did these chapters help me consider how Simon of Cyrene engaged in those events, but it also made me think about how Christ may have viewed others who were part of the procession: the Roman soldiers, those who were crucified next to him, those who desired his death, passersby’s, and those who diligently followed Him.
I do not claim to understand the Atonement, nor how Christ considered the people who surrounded Him that day. But writing this story made me think a lot about it. My thoughts were consumed by it. I would lay in bed late into the night pondering. I would wake up in the middle of the night wondering. I sat in front of my computer typing, retyping, changing, altering, and adjusting how Christ’s last mortal moments may have played out and what those meant to the people around Him.
In that process I came to see the Atonement of Christ as an incredible personal act of eternal compassion. More importantly, it made the atonement feel more real. According to the reconning of our time it is an event that occurred over two thousand years ago, and yet it is an act that spans time and enables us to experience its power today.
My Takeaway: I experienced a deepening of my testimony of the validity of Christ as the Savior of the world and the personal atonement he made for me, and you, my family, and your family, my friends, and your friends, my ancestors, and your ancestors, my posterity, and your posterity, all who have lived, currently live, and will yet live. It is the most beautiful act of love. The most life changing principle. A foundation upon which I anchor my life.
With such a life changing force in our lives is it not possible that Simon of Cyrene was prepared and chosen, rather than compelled, to carry the cross of his Savior, and your Savior, and my Savior?
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