All of us have been asked to help others. A family member needs help moving, a neighbor needs a hand fixing their leaking roof, etc. A request may hit you as an easy or overwhelming task. Lately, I’ve been asked to babysit and ‘puppysit.’ (I can do that.)

Sometimes the request for help is totally unexpected as in the case of Scripture’s Simon from Cyrene. Let’s meet this man, who is somewhat obscure, yet briefly mentioned by gospel writers Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

Simon was from Africa, traveling with his two sons (and perhaps his wife). They were on their way into Jerusalem probably to celebrate the Passover. Simultaneously, Jesus was being led by Roman soldiers to Golgotha to be crucified. Weakened by His previous beatings and flogging, Jesus was no longer able to carry His cross (or 30-to-40-pound beam of the cross).

That’s when Simon was pressed or called into service by Roman soldiers. Luke describes the ordeal. “[T]hey seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus” (Luke 23:26).

Imagine being torn from your family and forced into a scene of chaos. Simon walked behind Jesus, who was probably a complete stranger, viewing His torn and bleeding back, and followed by a large group including women who were mourning and wailing.

That’s probably one of the most difficult calls we can imagine, and honestly it appears Simon was not given a choice. We typically are.

We will be called into service for we are called to serve the Lord as well as one another. Paul writes, “[S]erve one another in love” (Galatians 5:13c). It may be impromptu or planned, be a simple act or require great sacrifice. May we be willing do as the Lord requests. And . . . do it all to the glory of God!