Scripture
Our verse for today comes from Mark 10:46, ” Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. “
Background
In the movie, Dead Poets Society , Robin Williams plays a teacher named Mr. Keating who has come back to his stuffy, all-male prep school alma mater to teach high school English. Most of the lessons he shares with his students are unconventional in their methods, and in one scene, Keating has the boys out in the courtyard. He then chooses three of them to simply walk around the court, while the others stand by and watch. Within their first few steps, the boys are following each other in line, and stepping in rhythm one behind the other. And Keating uses this example to warn them against the snare of going along with the crowd or getting lost in the masses. He even calls out those students who were standing and watching, who might have been thinking that they would have walked independently rather than follow the other two around the court. You see, the rest of the entire class had been clapping in unison as the boys walked perfectly behind each other. The influence of the many is subtle, yet powerful.
Application
Jesus is recorded as going to Jericho only once. And our verse sums it up as, ” He came. He went out. ” He and His disciples went there, and when they left, a great crowd followed them out. But there’s not one mention of anything that happened while they were there. No word of anyone’s life being changed. No miracles and wonders. Just a multitude of people following Jesus and His friends. So it’s no wonder that as they’re leaving and encounter a blind man calling out to Jesus for mercy, that many in the crowd warn him to be quiet. It’s ridiculous and unkind, but some were doing it, so others joined in. Might as well follow the crowd, right? Their lives hadn’t been changed back in Jericho, so why should we expect anything different as they’re leaving town? And it is that simple, isn’t it? When you’ve been changed by Christ, the crowd loses its appeal. When your heart is reborn, the needy look different to you than before. But if the crowd is carrying you along, then it’s going to let you down. So don’t just come, and go out. Come to Him and be changed.
Charge
As we seek Him today, see if your feet are taking you where the crowd wants you to go. Ask God to be your guide, and seek His strength to break free from the multitudes.
Rich Holt / Originally Published on : BCWorldview.org
Also published on : Medium.com.
