His neighbor was important
And he knew all the elite.
He was always quick to brag
About someone he would meet.

He told Simon of the stars
That he hobnobbed with each day,
That when he went to eat out,
How they wouldn’t let him pay.

Simon was a common man
Who worked hard for a living
And everyone that knew him
Said he was kind and giving.

His neighbor, the exception,
Who thought Simon was just dumb.
Why else would he give money
To every passing bum?

Why would he spend so much time
Carrying food to the sick?
It is not the kind of fun
That a normal man would pick.

So the neighbor couldn’t wait
To taunt Simon every day.
He would ask whom he had “helped”
And how much he gave away.

Since this was Friday morning,
Simon had too much to do.
He gathered up some firewood
For a widow that he knew.

But, as he drove into town,
His way was blocked by a throng.
People watched a prisoner
Dragging quite a load along.

His wounds showed he’d been beaten
And he stumbled with his load.
Simon pulled his cart over
So he wouldn’t block the road.

He saw the prisoner’s guards
Were in an ugly mood.
He mustn’t make them angry,
He knew they’d be more than rude.

And then Simon saw the eyes,
Eyes that he would not forget.
He had to get much closer,
Just as close as they would let.

The face, though beaten and bruised,
Was still full of love and care.
A crown of thorns was tangled
In his bloody matted hair.

Simon saw the heavy load
Was more than the man could bear.
It wasn’t just the timber,
He was loaded down with care.

Then the prisoner stumbled
And fell down upon his knee.
No way that he could make it,
Couldn’t anybody see?

The soldier yelled, “Get going!”
And prodded him with his spear.
Then Simon lost his senses
And completely lost his fear.
Simon had to help this man
For he knew he’d done no wrong.
The soldier stopped his goading
When he burst in through the throng.

Then all the guards came running
To fend off Simon’s attack.
But Simon just took the load
From off the prisoner’s back.

When Simon watched them nail him
To the cross made from a tree,
He knew that he was giving
Up his life for you and me.

Then that night while Simon worked,
Out beneath the sun’s last ray,
His neighbor came to chastise
And ask him about his day.

Simon said, “You would just think
That my whole day was a loss
Since the only thing I did
Was to carry someone’s cross.”

Mark 15:21

We actually know quite a bit about Simon. We know his name, where he came from and what he was doing. The writers of the gospels indicate that he was forced into duty but do you think that they would have given as much information as they did about an unwilling person? At any rate, here is a complete rundown of just how his day went. If you don’t believe that it happened this way, then feel free to write your own version.

Mark 15:21