I am sure that the disciples thought they had turned a corner after yesterday’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when crowd threw itself at Jesus. Maybe they didn’t come to Jerusalem to die after all. Now with the crowd on their side, the religious authorities would be unable to move against Jesus. It would cause a riot. But the praise of crowds, of strangers, is fickle, as they would soon find out.
The mass of people praising Jesus through the streets of Jerusalem did not love him. He may have excited them; it was easy to get caught up in the moment, but in the end, he was deserted by the crowd.
Abraham Lincoln made a statement that I want to paraphrase for my own purpose here.
You cannot get all of the people to follow you all of the time. You can get all of the people to follow you some of the time. However, some of the people will follow you all of the time.
Those all of the timers are the ones God has called. Our Lord wants those people who will follow him all of the time, not just some of the time when it is convenient, or when the moment catches fire. Those wishy-washy good-timers are the ones he sends packing.
God is all for us, all of the time; nothing can separate us from his eternally sacrificial love. He expects the same commitment from us. We are called to step out from the crowd and say with Joshua at the River Jordon, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” not just sometimes, but all of the time.
So, as you enter Holy Week, remember the fickleness of strangers and crowds and do not use them to make your decisions. Instead ask your Heavenly Father for wisdom to know and strength to do whatever he calls you to.
Grace and peace.
