One day, a woman approached a wise man of God with the most important question of her life:
“How do I get to heaven?”
The man of God, who had probably been asked this a thousand times, gave his usual reply:
“You must follow the narrow and slippery path up the mountain, down the rocky side to the valley below, and then cross the river to paradise.”
The woman nodded and turned to leave, but the man of God wasn’t finished.
“Oh, and one more thing—you have to carry this cross the whole way.”
The woman took up the cross and began her journey. The road was tough, the weight was unbearable, and soon, she was sweating like it was the hottest day in the Middle East.
Then, as if by divine intervention (or just sheer convenience), she met a man with an axe.
“Need a little help?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
She didn’t hesitate. “Just shave off the edges a bit,” she said. “It’ll still be a cross, right?”
With her now “fun-sized” cross, she raced up the mountain, skidded down the rocky valley, and finally reached the river. On the other side, paradise was waiting—golden, glowing, absolutely perfect.
But there was a problem. There was no bridge.
Then it hit her: the cross was supposed to be the bridge.
Excitedly, she placed her cross across the river. Except… it was too short.
Cue the awkward silence.
Then cue the splash.
She fell into the raging waters and drowned.
The Second Woman: When DIY Goes Wrong
A second woman approached the man of God with the same question. She got the same answer. She even got the same cross.
Determined, she started her journey. But soon, the weight of the cross had her questioning all her life choices.
Then, a friendly carpenter appeared with a plane.
“Want me to shave that down for you? Make it a little easier to carry?”
She hesitated for about two seconds before saying, “Yes, please!”
After all, it was still a cross… just a little less cross-y.
Feeling much lighter, she climbed the mountain, slid down to the valley, and reached the river. Paradise was right there! She placed her cross down—it was just the right length. Success!
She took one step. Then another. Then—CRACK.
Apparently, cross-lightening voids the warranty.
She plunged into the waters and, well… let’s just say she had an unexpected baptism.
The Third Woman: No Shortcuts, No Problem
A third woman approached the man of God, received her instructions, and took up her cross.
She struggled up the mountain, gasping for breath. Then, like clockwork, the axe-man appeared.
“Want me to chop that down for you?”
“No, thanks,” she replied. “I think I’m supposed to carry it as is.”
Later, the carpenter appeared.
“I can thin it out for you! Make it a little more manageable!”
“No, I’ll keep it as it is,” she said.
Slowly but surely, she made it up the mountain, down the valley, and to the river.
She laid down her cross. It fit perfectly.
It was the right length. The right strength. And as she walked across, it supported her weight.
On the other side, the Lord greeted her with a smile.
“Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Moral of the Story: Carry Your Cross—All of It
Jesus didn’t promise an easy journey. He said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
C.S. Lewis once wrote, “There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going.” And let’s be honest—if there were, we’d probably mess them up anyway.
Sometimes, the weight of our struggles makes us want to trim, lighten, or adjust the burdens we bear. But the very thing we try to escape is often the thing that carries us safely to the other side.
So, when life gets tough, remember: the cross you carry is not just a burden—it’s your bridge.
