Crosses Are Trending – How About With You?

Earlier this week I was surprised to read in the New York Times that crosses are trending as fashion accessories. Who knew? Not me.

But sure enough, the reporter surveyed various cultural settings where crosses are becoming more common. Leaders at both White House briefings and Democratic rallies may well sport them. They’re also showing up more in music videos and at high fashion jewelers. And as any football fan could tell you, crosses have become a very prominent pattern for eye black markings on players’ cheeks.

What do these crosses mean to their wearers? When the reporter asked, responses were predictably all over the map.

Front and center in the St. Giles Church sanctuary, where Sarah and I worship, is a cross. That’s fitting. For if anything is central to our new life in Jesus, it’s the cross. So said St. Paul as he sought to explain the prominence of the cross in his gospel message. Check out 1 Corinthians 1:18-31.

In subsequent centuries Paul’s efforts to explain the cross have been expanded, both by those who’ve written long theological tomes, and by preachers who have waxed eloquent on the same. I’ll not pretend in these few words to plumb the depths of its mysteries. But I will offer two suggestions in the light of the current cultural trend.

First, if you have an opportunity to ask those sporting crosses what it means to them, do so. Don’t cast it as a challenge to their sincerity or understanding, but as a simple invitation to share something of themselves with you. You might learn something. And it might afford you the opportunity to share why you asked – i.e., that you try to live as a person of the cross yourself.

And second, DO try to live as a person of the cross yourself! Take the trending cross fad as a visual prompt: “Is the cross trending in me? Is its sacrificial love more and more apparent in my words and actions?” The Lord graciously brings prompts for our growth from many quarters, and this is one of them.

I’m not much of a jewelry guy – just my wedding band. So I’m not likely to take up the cross-wearing fashion trend. But I would very much like to be trending as a cross-living follower of Jesus. May it be so for us all.