Here's a great hidden story if I ever saw one. First, an obscure reference to someone named Rufus, one of the sons of Simon of Cyrene -- the man who was pulled off the road to carry the Lord's cross on the way to the crucifixion:
They pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross. (Mark 15:21)
Then this obscure reference, years later in a letter by the apostle Paul to the Romans:
Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine. (Romans 16:13)
Bible scholars appear to agree that the two references are to the same Rufus. If so, the story that seems to be revealed here is truly beautiful. Here's what I imagine:
Jesus is in agony from the vicious beating He's just received. As He carries His cross, His steps began to falter, and it becomes clear that He needs help to carry it further. Simon, a passer-by from the Roman province of Cyrene, is approaching the Jerusalem area, and is chosen randomly to carry the cross the rest of the way to Golgotha.
We have no way of knowing whether Simon is already a believer, but the fact that he is simply passing by (was not part of the crowd already surrounding Jesus) and the wording "pressed into service" seem to suggest that Jesus is unknown to him up until this moment. If this is the case, and if the Rufus mentioned in Romans is his son, then something incredible happens to Simon as he carries the Lord's cross. It so affects him that he, his wife, and their son Rufus (perhaps their other offspring as well) become not only believers, but a family so sold out to the Lord Jesus that Paul refers to Rufus as a "choice man in the Lord," and to Rufus' mother as his own second mother.
The Holy Spirit pressed the wording "also his mother and mine" into my heart when I read this the other day. What sort of woman might Paul have looked upon as a second mother? A woman who let the weight of worries eat away at her? A woman who found it hard to speak of her faith in Jesus to unbelieving relatives?
I find Paul in some ways a very difficult personality to relate to. However, I'm rather sure that any woman he would regard as his second mother would be someone gently courageous in the Lord. "Gently" because she would have a sweet spirit of trust. "Courageous" because she would face challenges with a spirit of boldness and long-suffering.
I don't wish to idealize her. Perhaps she endured by taking her fears and doubts to the Lord, weeping and petitioning at His feet, yet all Paul saw was the end result. Spiritually speaking, a gentle, courageous spirit does not spring up in a person overnight. It's the result of being stretched beyond what we can bear, and trusting that the Lord will be our sufficiency. Yet I confess that many people endure such trials far more decorously than I. Perhaps the end result is the same, but I admire these people nevertheless. And OK, perhaps someone who endures trials entirely decorously is not the sort of person the Lord would select to write a blog about spiritual joys and struggles.
All right, Lord. I see. I may not be the sort of person Paul would have chosen to call his second mother, but I am still useful as clay in Your lovely hands. How kind of You to remind me that Your work in each of us is unique, and that you treasure each of us equally.
Bless You, my Savior. Back to patiently working and waiting, I guess. Perseverance under pressure produces spiritual gold.
And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
(Romans 5:3-5)