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『若有人要跟從我，就當捨己，背起他的十字架來跟從我。』（可八章三十四節）
我主所吩咐我背的十字架，形狀大小，都是祂親目擬定的。
當我覺得有能力作大事業的時候，可能我的十字架要我懷著知足的心，在一個粗陋狹窄的工場裡安心工作；或者在一個似乎沒有果子可結的田地裡，一年過一年地繼續耕種下去。
可能我的十字架要我用仁慈恩惠去愛一曾經虐待過我的仇人－用溫柔的態度去和他講話，去站在他一邊幫他扺抗一切反對他的人，用同情和援助去抬舉他。
可能我的十字架要我在那些不願意聽見神的名字的人中間承認基督；
可能我的十字架要我在心碎的時候，到人們面前去露一個早晨的榮臉。
十字架的大小種類，各有不同，但是每一個都是痛而且重的。我找不出一個合乎理想的。但是當我舉起我的十字架來，順順服服地把它背在肩上，用忍耐不撓的精神去歡迎它的時候，乃是主離我最近的時候。
主常在我最憂愁最痛苦的時候加添我的智慧，加深我的平安，加增我的勇氣，加大我的能力。－司買莉（Alexander Smellie ）
用你的十字架來做幫助你前進的枴杖，不要用你的十字架來做絆倒你的絆腳石。
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“Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.”(Mark 8:34.)
The cross which my Lord bids me take up and carry may assume different shapes. I may have to content myself with a lowly and narrow sphere, when I feel that I have capacities for much higher work. I may have to go on cultivating year after year, a field which seems to yield me no harvests whatsoever. I may be bidden to cherish kind and loving thoughts about someone who has wronged me -- be bidden speak to him tenderly, and take his part against all who oppose him, and crown him with sympathy and succor. I may have to confess my Master amongst those who do not wish to be reminded of Him and His claims. I may be called to “move among my race, and show a glorious morning face,” when my heart is breaking.
There are many crosses, and every on of them is sore and heavy. None of them is likely to be sought out by me of my own accord. But never is Jesus so near me as when I lift my cross, and lay it submissively on my shoulder, and give it the welcome of a patient and unmurmuring spirit.
He draws close, to ripen my wisdom, to deepen my peace, to increase my courage, to augment my power to be of use to others, through the very experience which is so grievous and distressing, and then -- as I read on the seal of one of those Scottish Covenanters whom Claverhouse imprisoned on the lonely Bass, with the sea surging and sobbing round
-- I grow under the load. -- Alexander Smellie.
“Use your cross as a crutch to help you on, and not as a stumbling block to cast you down.”
“You may others from sadness to gladness beguile, If you carry your cross with a smile.”
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