"Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified." - Mark 15:15
It
is said that comedian Milton Berle had his mother sit in the front row when he
performed. She would laugh loudly and heartily when a joke fell flat and
usually the audience followed. In this scenario each person would respond to
the actions of others in complete contradiction to their own feelings. The
influence of the majority has often led to wrong decisions that were regretted
later. It takes courage to swim against the current.
Pilate
was a significant political leader in his time. He was entrusted with serious
and demanding responsibilities. Yet, in his leadership role, he was torn
between what he knew was right and what he knew was politically correct. He
fought hard, but eventually caved into the cries of the crowd. Filled with fear
and political pressure, attempting to avoid further conflict, Pilate lost his
courage to swim against the current.
Are
you willing to stand alone with Jesus? Or does the crowd play a large part in your
choices and conduct? Who do you strive to please from day to day? Are you led
by God or by man? The day that you accepted Jesus as your only means of
salvation, you stood apart from the crowd. As a follower of Christ today, will
you be courageous enough to live the right way and swim against the current?
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