Wednesday, September 1, 2010

The Crowd

When I first came into ministry, I was called upon to claim that a list of people were all among my parishioners. These were softball players. None were church goers. Few had ever set foot in the church. The team had been very successful in a church league. I saw it as telling a lie. Yet, I wanted to be accepted (if not exalted ;)  I tried a discussion with the presenters of the list. My case was weak. Little fib versus a juggernaut of a team. No contest.

 

I decided not to sign. I was, to say the least, not popular (oh, and I wanted to be so popular!) Wounded, I pressed on. God says this.

 

You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice.  Exodus 23:2 (NLT)

 

Today, check the crowd's conventional wisdom. Is it "right" because it comes from a crowd or is it right because it comes from God. It is now easy to tell sometimes. Can you risk going against the flow when Jesus calls for it? Penultimately, it cost him his life. Ultimately, it gave him his life. I will pray for you today to resist the crowd and embrace God.







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