The Love of A Crowd

13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.” 18 But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” - Luke Ch. 23

The same crowd who celebrated and welcomed Jesus just months earlier had turned on Him.  Even one of His disciples betrayed Him.  Now, the crowd chanted for his torture and execution, even after the chief government officers could find nothing to justify His death.  The truth didn't matter.  The demands of the crowd were eventually honored.

Isn't the love of a crowd unpredictable?  Crowds are conditional, transactional, and fickle.  They give to get back, they build up to tear down.  One look at Hollywood tabloids can tell us how conditional the love of a crowd can be.  A celebrity might be on the top of the popularity list one week, but a few months later, the same celebrity has been "cancelled".  

I knew a family with a daughter in high school.  It was a fairly small town, and their daughter was a popular girl.  She made good grades, excelled in sports, and had a large network of friends.  She soon started dating one of the most popular guys in school.  Many girls had a crush on him, and out of jealousy, her network of friends began to disintegrate.  Rumors began to spread about her that were untrue.  Gossip turned dangerous when lies were told about things she supposedly said about other girls.  She was attacked one evening while out with friends by another group of girls.  She became suicidal and eventually (wisely) her parents moved her to another town, another school, and sought treatment for her.

How fickle the love of a crowd can be.  How cruel our world can be.  

The love of Christ is different.  It is unconditional, strong, and reliable.  

When I went through my divorce, I had no idea I was about to embark on a journey to learn about the love of Christ.  I was so disheartened by the people I had disappointed in my life.  I felt like such a failure because I couldn't make my marriage work.  But, nothing is more freeing and marvelous than God's compassion and grace.  We're not here to please the world.

We can't live a peaceful life when we are living to please the crowd.  The Bible tells stories over and over about how blessed people are when they align their lives with the will of God, and how miserable and wretched they are when they don't.  The crowd sways with the wind, and will turn on a dime.  So often, we chase after fleeting acceptance, trying to win the approval of those who - if we're honest - don't even know us that well.  Meanwhile, the love of Christ freely offers abundant life to everyone who turns towards Him.

A few years ago, my daughter came home from school, refusing to wear her glasses.  She is visually impaired, and her glasses are vital for her to see properly.  I asked her why.

"They make fun of me."

"Who?" I asked.

"The other girls.  They say my glasses are stupid."

My first reaction was to show a few girls just who was stupid.  But, after I calmed the spark straight to my red hair, I had a talk with my daughter.  

"If you listen to those girls and you refuse to wear your glasses, what will happen?"

"I can't see."

"Right.  You can't see.  Do you think the other girls can see fine?"

"Yes."

"So, the one who loses if you quit wearing your glasses is you.  You can't see, you won't be able to do well in school, and nothing will change for those girls.  They'll just move onto the next thing they don't like."

It wasn't our last conversation around the glasses, but isn't the same true for us when we try to lead life pleasing the crowd?  We change drastically to please them, and the one who loses is out is us, not the crowd.  We spend our time and energy trying to achieve an ever-changing goal to please the crowd.  Once the crowd is happy, don't forget, we have to keep them happy.  Meanwhile, our Savior waits, with His arms open wide, reminding us that we were never designed to pursue an unachievable goal.

I'm so glad He is so faithful. 

Perhaps its time to stop worrying so much about the crowd.  They'll never love you like Christ does.