Crushing Crowd

Jesus departed with his disciples to the lake, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him; hearing all that he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him; for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But he sternly ordered them not to make him known. Mark 3:7-12

When something phenomenal and exciting happens, or when a celebrity appears, folks tend to come out of the wood work. In a normally sleepy town like this, when there is a parade or an event the crowds show up. When John Wayne came to Sitka years ago, people came out to see him. They still talk about it. Today, we had a blackout for several hours and people were on the streets everywhere trying to figure out what had happened. Not so rare, a blackout, but it will give us all much to talk about.

Jesus has healed people and the word has gotten out. Those who are suffering are being brought,and others come in droves just to see the phenomenon. They want to witness it and not be left out. They want a story to tell their grand children, even if they aren't sure about the faith and healing part. Jesus had to have a ready boat just to be safe, and had to ask the spirits to keep silent, just to survive the crush. People didn't even know what they wanted, but they knew they wanted something. God calls us today to examine what we seek in our lives, and why we seek it. God offer us love and healing so that we might serve others, not so that we can be popular, famous, or talked about.

Today, I ask God to help me not focus on the crowd, or public opinion, but to the needs of the heart. May we all seek to serve others, rather than to be popular or revered. May we use our time with others to bring love and healing where it is needed today.