Agenda
John 5:41-42 MSG
(41) “I’m not interested in crowd approval.
(42) And do you know why? Because I know you and your crowds. I know that love, especially God’s love, is not on your working agenda.
There is this illusion when you’re with a crowd that something is right, cool, happenin’, together, successful and going somewhere. Surely if this many people think it’s ‘right on’, then it must be ‘right on’. People wanting to find out who they are and somehow ‘fit in’ will let the crowd define that for them, wearing this, putting on that, cutting this, slicing off that, piercing this, putting a hole in that, coloring this and putting a tattoo on that and ending up looking just like what their perception of the crowd has defined for them to look like. After all they wouldn’t want to stick out by not emulating something that many times looks to be quite uncomfortable and awkward.
Okay, it’s maybe a good idea to not be too out of date, but when it comes to the motivation and who’s defining the image, it’s a bit dangerous to let the crowd define that for you. Surely there were some who really thought Jesus wasn’t all that bad who found themselves with the crowd cheering for His demise. There were many in Germany who would never have joined the crowd in chanting for and saluting a leader that would massacre so many of his own. It really must have been exhilarating, though, to be standing there with the masses, feeling like whatever this was must be right with so many people standing for it. While the upcoming administration has yet to accomplish anything at all, there is an attraction by the masses towards the magnetism of the crowd. Surely this must be right with so many people thronging to the rallies and the inauguration. There may be some good that comes, but it will not be because of the crowd’s definition. ‘Right’ is not crowd defined; it’s heart and love defined- something that will probably turn the majority of the crowd off most of the time, because true love does what’s best, no matter how many show up for its implementation.
When things seem to be so great and the crowds are the loudest, if love isn’t on the agenda, and if God’s praise isn’t on the lips, it can be certain that the crowd is moving towards the cliff. It would be best to somehow make your way to some place far from their pressing and their driving force so that the One who made you can be your definition- one that will still be standing far after all the popular ones have taken their inevitable fall. It’s best to be on the side of the ultimate Victor rather than the side with the loudest band and the best cheering section. If, then, in pursuing Him you find yourself alone with something other than ‘Most Popular’ hanging on your placard, it may be the best thing that could ever have happened. It may be you’re having a ‘Jesus moment’ when your identification with Him and His love has set you apart from the masses. It’s really not all that bad to stick out from the crowd when you’re avoiding their thunderous destruction and, hey, you’re hanging out with the coolest ‘Dude’ ever, the One who draws all men unto Him rather than being drawn by and defined by them.
There will be a natural separation today for those who choose life in Jesus. While many may be clamoring and adjusting this or that to be accepted by the crowd, we have the incredible privilege of taking the narrow way that doesn’t have as many thronging to it, but is leading to the best place ever.
Matthew 7:13-14 MKJV
(13) Go in through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who go in through it.
(14) Because narrow is the gate and constricted is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.