I am the crowd

I am the crowd that cried ‘Crucify Him’. I am the crowd that demanded the release of a prisoner – a thief and robber – instead of the one who healed me...who fed me....who loved me and died for me.

I am the one who cried ‘Crucify Him’ instead of rushing to the side of the man who fed me when I was hungry – who fed thousands when we were hungry in order to follow him…to listen.

But yet…you are the crowd too. You were standing beside me when you drove past the homeless man without even looking his way….too afraid to make eye contact….too afraid he might not be really hungry, but just looking for drug or alcohol money. But you drove without knowing…you judged without proof….and you kept driving.

You are the crowd that cried ‘Crucify Him’ when He asked you to forgive the one who broke your heart – the one lied and betrayed you – but instead you refused and continued being angry…refused to extend the grace of forgiveness.

I am the crowd crying ‘Crucify Him’ when He tugged at my heart to pray…to spend time with Him…but I just didn’t have time to give. I had places to be, people to see…..I just didn’t have time….so I continued with my daily routine…and cried ‘Crucify Him’.

I am the crowd crying ‘Crucify Him’. He died on the cross in a public, humiliating way – innocently died – for me and my sins. But, I sat silently to myself as others around me mocked Him – denied Him – and made fun of Him. I sat silently…and blended with the crowd crying ‘Crucify Him’.

Yet you, you too are the crowd. You shouted loudly from the top of your voice ‘Crucify Him’ as He looked lovingly and desperately into your eyes. You see….he was the co-worker, the classmate that everyone teased, bullied and made fun of. He was the one who looked into your eyes time after time asking for someone to help…someone to come to his aide…but instead you joined in with the crowd. You made fun of him, pointed out his flaws, his mistakes, and where he fell short of the standard. You are the crowd crying ‘Crucify Him’.

You see….WE are the crowd. WE are the ones crying ‘Crucify Him’ each day. Though we would like to say we would be one of the less than a handful of people among the masses to rush to Jesus’ defense….deep in our hearts we know we would not have…..because we don’t.

We are the crowd shouting ‘Crucify Him’ when we ignore the poor, rush through our day without prayer and ignore Jesus, refuse to forgive, continue to hate, continue to judge others….especially those we don’t even know and have never met..., and continue to sit silently when others mock, deny, and refuse Jesus…perhaps we even take part.

I am the crowd.

You are the crowd.

We are the crowd…..crying ‘Crucify Him’.