Turn around

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

          I came out later in life than most. I was eager to immerse myself in all things gay. Gay pride, gay expos, gay novels, gay culture. I joined the statewide LGBTQ committee of my union. When I joined that committee I learned a great deal and one was what the "Q" stands for. I was a bit surprised that beside "questioning", there are members of our community that feel most comfortable being described as queer. That's a word I never thought was a nice word. It seemed to me it was a derogatory word akin to faggot. That is a terrible word. None the less, some people like the word queer. And you know what, we ALL may be queer because we are all different than everyone else in one way or another. But I digress, what once was considered a derogatory term is now an accepted appellation.

         I am reminded of that fact when I read this passage. The cross that I claim in victory, that is a sign of my salvation was not always so. In Jesus' time, in territories occupied by the Roman empire the cross was a common symbol but not like we see it. Crosses were erected as a sign to obey or be punished. Further, being strung up on a cross, either nailed or tied was a particularly brutal form and punishment and an excruciatingly painful form of death. I am sure there is a website out there that can describe in every horrific detail, what happens to a body as it hangs on a cross. Crosses were not the stuff of salvation, crosses were a sign of intimidation, torture and cruel punishment.

           In a relatively short time though, the cross became a sign of salvation and victory. It is a recognized sign of salvation, of a man names Jesus who died for all us and saved us from sin and condemnation by willingly and obediently being nailed to a cross to die. What a turn around. Today it may seem passe, people wear crosses that are more bling and a fashion statement. Gold crosses appear on countless chests and necklaces.  But the symbolism is still there. The symbolism, the knowledge and recognition is ingrained in us as if it is in our genes. Even down to the Red Cross, a recognized symbol of help and aid, reminds us all the saving power and love of the cross. What a turn around.

              Just some thoughts on Irony and how things change. Perhaps the inpetus to take a cross and use it as a focus for a meditation. The power of the Holy Spirit, alive and well.

             

18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹For it is written,
‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
   and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’
²⁰Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. ²²For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, ²³but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ²⁴but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.