Cross is God's sign of forgiveness
"This is how we've come to understand and experience love; Christ sacrificed his life for us.
- 1 John 3:16 (Message)
Before the pandemic, oftentimes on a Friday afternoon, I enjoyed going to the mall for a walk. Walking through the halls gave me a chance to stretch my legs with some much-needed exercise and clear my head with a change of scenery.
One Friday in particular, I had the urge to visit one of my favorite stores to see if there were any fantastic bargains. But after 30 minutes of going through the clearance rack, nothing was really catching my eye, so I decided to go to the jewelry department and look around. I thought maybe seeing something bright and sparkly would lift my spirit.
I gazed through the assortment of necklaces, bracelets and earrings in the display case. I didn't feel interested in any items there. So I wandered over to the broaches hanging on the display racks. I gently ran my fingers over a bronze-colored butterfly pin with a few shimmering stones. But I realized I really wasn't in the mood for buying anything. I was simply window shopping.
As I continued to browse, I noticed a sales table with some watches and necklaces with bright-colored stones. Admiring the stones, I caught sight of a glistening cross necklace. It had multicolored stones and the way it sparkled in the light was quite delightful. Gazing at it gave you a warm feeling inside. As I looked it over a second time, I overheard a young couple discussing the assortment of crosses displayed.
"They are beautiful," I chimed in uninvited.
"You think so?" the young woman replied.
Despite my interruption, the couple was still deep in conversation about what to buy. Pausing, they turned to me and asked if I liked the cross. I told them I didn't just like it - I really liked it.
The young woman asked if I thought it would make a good gift. I asked what the occasion was. She went on to explain it was kind of a makeup gift for her boyfriend's mother, whom she had offended in some way.
I told her if that was the case, a cross was the perfect gift.
"It's God's sign to us regarding forgiveness," I said.
Her eyes opened wide as she expressed that the mother was quite upset with her and she was really hoping to be forgiven. She turned to her boyfriend and, in a convincing sort of way, mentioned his mother was religious. He nodded in agreement as he reached out to the display rack and selected a cross from the assortment provided.
As I turned to walk away, they thanked me for my help. I told them anytime they were in need of forgiveness, the cross was the place to go.
I believe they walked away that Friday feeling a bit lighter in spirit. Like that Good Friday in history, God loved us so much he sacrificed his Son, Jesus Christ, on a cross for the forgiveness of all mankind.
• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She can be contacted by email at annetteebudzban@aol.com or (847) 543-8413.