Read
As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross.
Matthew 27:32
Reflect
Simon was new in town, having just arrived for the festival. It was something he looked forward to every year, but this time felt especially meaningful. He had brought his two sons with him so they could see the celebration for themselves.
He had only been in Jerusalem a short time before he began hearing about another visitor—someone who had stirred up trouble almost immediately. The authorities were clearly unhappy. There had been talk of an arrest, maybe questioning. That had been earlier.
Now everything had escalated.
Instead of questioning, the man had been seized, tried, and condemned. The regional governor himself had approved the sentence. Simon didn’t know many details, but something inside him compelled him to go and see the procession to the place of execution.
Simon and his two boys—Rufus and Alexander—made their way to the road leading toward the rocky hill where condemned criminals were put to death. They had barely arrived when a Roman soldier grabbed Simon and shoved him forward. Laughing, the soldier pointed to a rough wooden beam lying beside a broken man in the dust.
“Pick it up,” the soldier barked. “Help your king.”
Simon looked down at the wood. The man beside it was clearly in no condition to carry anything, much less a heavy crossbeam. Simon had heard terrible things about this man, but as their eyes met, none of it made sense. This was no terrorist. No violent revolutionary. In front of him was a man whose eyes held nothing but love—love even in the midst of unimaginable pain and suffering.
“I said pick it up!”
The soldier’s whip struck Simon across the back. He gasped, winced, and staggered forward. Then he bent down, helped the man to His feet, and lifted the beam onto his own shoulder.
And just like that, Simon was walking beside Jesus.
What I’ve written here is more—much more—than what Scripture tells us about Simon of Cyrene. The Bible records only that he was there with his sons and that he carried the cross for Jesus for part of the journey. Later, in Romans, Paul greets a man named Rufus and speaks warmly of his mother. Many believe this Rufus was Simon’s son. If so, it would mean that Simon, his wife, and his children all became followers of Christ.
Why does that seem so likely?
For one thing, Simon stood shoulder to shoulder with Jesus during the most intense and tragic moments of His life. He almost certainly touched Him. He likely felt His blood on his own skin. He saw up close the dignity, the grace, and the love Jesus displayed while being brutally mistreated. Simon may have understood—better than almost anyone—that this execution was horribly, terribly wrong.
If that had been you, would you have been unaffected?
Would you really have walked away thinking, Well, that was interesting?
I don’t think so either.
That’s why it’s hard to imagine Simon simply returning to his life unchanged. There’s no way to stand that close to Jesus—walk with Him, suffer alongside Him, carry what He could no longer bear—and remain the same.
Getting close to Jesus causes change.
This week, allow the Lord to draw close to you—and allow yourself to draw close to Him as well. Even if it means carrying something heavy. Even if it feels uncomfortable. Even if it costs you more than you expected.
Reflection copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
