IT'S STILL THE CROSS

Special music is just that to me. Special. I love to hear church friends sing solos or duets or even mom, dad, and kid(s) provide hymns or praise songs during worship services. The last time I was at my home church in MTV, the song "It's still the Cross" was sung by a soloist. It was touching. Touching because it struck my heart. It didn't tug at me like the Holy Spirit does, it simply touched me in the heart and stayed there for awhile.

A week ago during our Monday night BSF, a friend of mine from two years ago at BSF sat with me and shared his appreciation for something I had given him after my trip to Israel. A wooden cross made from olive wood from the Holy Land. It cost me 33 cents.

They had more expensive ones. Some even cost $2. But I had a lot to buy for a lot of people--family and Sunday School class members, and my BSF discussion group and leader, so I only shelled out 33 cents per cross. What a tightwad!

My friend Dan said he had put it on a leather string type necklace, but it had worn out. The string--not the cross, and he was going to have to replace it. At least two other guys from that group have shared with me how they've appreciated that cross. One kept it by his computer where he could see it every day. Another proudly wore it nearly ever time I saw him.

My first BSF discussion leader gave us each a cross he had made from rocks, more specifically gem stones. He had smoothed and polished them. They were beautiful. I still have mine and shared that with him last year. He seemed pleased, as was I, that something we loved, that we shared with someone else was much appreciated and valued. Even though mine only cost 33 cents. But, you know what? Mine is still the cross. No matter what anyone pays for one, it will never match Jesus' sacrifice. But it will match the significance.