lent 40 - the power of the crowd

Im watching Britain's Got Talent as Im writing this and the thing which stands out to me is the fact that the audience ( both in the theatre and I suspect at home) are willing people on to be good.  And when they are good, are genuinely delighted for them.   Susan Boyle opened the show - and I cant think that there are many people who didn't see her original audition for the show ten years ago and weren't blown away by her talent.    We love to see someone get a break, we love to see people being super good at what they do, especially when they are perceived to be a bit of an underdog.

But earlier I was listening to something on the radio about football and the sustained racist abuse suffered by black players to the point where some of them are on the verge of quitting the game they love and  have given their lives to excelling in.    What is it about humanity which can at one minute celebrate talent and the next be ridiculing and rubbishing it?   It is probably the same thing which cried Hosannah! one day and a few days later was crying  Crucify!

We are fickle, we are shallow and our allegiances can so easily switch.  If you think that's not you, you are wrong.  I have spent the past 30 years of my Christian life intermittently praying that I don't lose my faith, walk away, set it all down or simply become lukewarm.  Because I am aware that it is only the goodness of God which keeps me going.  My heart is feeble, my motivations are at best mixed, my will is weak.  If I had been in Jerusalem on the first Easter week I would undoubtably have been among the crowd shouting Hosanna, and then shouting Crucify.   The power of the crowd is a powerful thing.  Im pretty sure that the people making monkey noises at football matches wouldnt all be blatantly racist to someones face on an individual basis.  But get people together in a crowd and everyone takes courage and influence from those around them and all of a sudden you have got a Nazi Germany on your hands.

This is why its important to go to church and surround ourselves with people of a like mind who can influence and encourage us towards goodness and godliness.  We need to monitor the voices which speak to us through the media so that the loudest shout in our minds is not the shout of negativity, worldliness and evil.  We need to speak the truth loudly and in love to the world around us so that we can drown out the voices of racism, sexism, ageism, intolerance and prejudice and remind the world that God is good.  He is Love and He loves us enough to die for us.   In this Holy Week we have a chance to remind the world why Easter is celebrated.  Let's take every opportunity.