Today's Daily Bread
Fickle Followers
How quickly public opinion can change! When Jesus entered Jerusalem
for the Passover feast, He was welcomed by crowds cheering to have Him
made king (John 12:13). But by the end of the week, the crowds were
demanding that He be crucified (19:15).
I recognize myself in those fickle crowds. I love cheering for a team
that’s winning, but my interest wanes when they start losing. I love
being part of a movement that is new and exciting, but when the energy
moves to a new part of town, I’m ready to move on. I love following
Jesus when He is doing the impossible, but I slink away when He expects
me to do something difficult. It’s exciting to follow Jesus when I can
do it as part of the “in” crowd. It’s easy to trust Him when He
outsmarts the smart people and outmaneuvers the people in power (see
Matt. 12:10; 22:15-46). But when He begins to talk about suffering and
sacrifice and death, I hesitate.
I like to think that I would have followed Jesus all the way to the
cross—but I have my doubts. After all, if I don’t speak up for Him in
places where it’s safe, what makes me think I would do so in a crowd of
His opponents?
How thankful I am that Jesus died for fickle followers so that we can become devoted followers.
For Further Thought
Read these Bible verses and ponder Jesus’ love for you
(Rom. 5:8; Rom. 8:37-39; Heb. 13:5-6,8; 1 John 3:1).
Read these Bible verses and ponder Jesus’ love for you
(Rom. 5:8; Rom. 8:37-39; Heb. 13:5-6,8; 1 John 3:1).
Allow your devotion to Him to grow.
Christ deserves full-time followers.
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