“But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that their demand should be granted.” (Luke 23:23–24, RSV)
Tyler Heep bought himself a lottery ticket this past week. Upon checking it, he found that he had won $1.00. He drove to Lottery Headquarters in Iowa and demanded that they give him a big check like all the big winners. They took him into a room full of photography equipment and took his photo and gave him a large novelty check upon which was written that he had indeed won $1.00.
In the national and local elections last fall, several of the losers “demanded” a recount of the votes, convinced that they had won. When it was found out that they didn’t win, they decried that the process was rigged, shouting that votes were procured through illicit channels or that mistakes were made.
After missing a college quiz, one student in California entered her class and demanded that the teacher give her the quiz anyway. When the teacher refused, the student slammed down her textbooks, shouted angry insults, and refused to leave the room. Security had to be called for the student to be removed.
In a recent study of students at the University of California at Irvine, 66.2% of students believed that if they “tried hard”, they should get a good grade. Teachers there felt that the students were overly demanding that they should receive better grades overall.
In these and many, many other instances, people “demanded” that things they didn’t like were removed or changed. In some cases, the people were offended. In others, those involved wanted every advantage. Our world today is becoming more and more demanding. Activism has become a rallying cry for people to get what they want. Organizations pop up to help people “demand” changes that suit them I have found that some demands in life are very important. However, some demands are petty or self-centered, reckless or corrupting. Too often, people’s demands don’t consider the cost to others in order to fulfill the demand. In some instances, people don’t even care about the cost to others or society. They want their own way. They make demands.
In the scripture for today from the gospel of Luke printed above, the Jewish people gathered at Pontius Pilate’s public space demanded “with loud cries” that Jesus “should be crucified” (Luke 23:23). They didn’t want a fair trial for Jesus. They didn’t want the Roman government to be impartial. They were “demanding” for Jesus to be murdered. Despite no evidence, “their voices prevailed”. Pilate sentenced Jesus to death. “Their demand” was “granted” (Luke 23:24). This sinful act is forever a mark against those who were there, a sin that cannot be washed away. A mob made a “demand” against innocent Jesus. The mob swayed justice.
Be careful how you deal with “demands” in your own life. Are you demanding? Do you make demands when you don’t get your way? Are you swayed to change your ideas of right and wrong depending on whom is demanding your attention? Do you change the rules when pressed by a group? Pontius Pilate killed an innocent man to please the demands of a mob. Are you liable to follow the whims of others in order to look good?
When a demand goes against what is right, do you stand your ground? When God’s way is perverted or justice is twisted, you need to stand up for what is right. However, to be swayed by people who just want their way and demand you change, is what causes faith and justice to be damaged. Lives can be lost. Be careful about what demands you make. Be careful with demands that undermine what is right. God’s justice will not be swayed by selfish voices or mob rule.
In the national and local elections last fall, several of the losers “demanded” a recount of the votes, convinced that they had won. When it was found out that they didn’t win, they decried that the process was rigged, shouting that votes were procured through illicit channels or that mistakes were made.
After missing a college quiz, one student in California entered her class and demanded that the teacher give her the quiz anyway. When the teacher refused, the student slammed down her textbooks, shouted angry insults, and refused to leave the room. Security had to be called for the student to be removed.
In a recent study of students at the University of California at Irvine, 66.2% of students believed that if they “tried hard”, they should get a good grade. Teachers there felt that the students were overly demanding that they should receive better grades overall.
In these and many, many other instances, people “demanded” that things they didn’t like were removed or changed. In some cases, the people were offended. In others, those involved wanted every advantage. Our world today is becoming more and more demanding. Activism has become a rallying cry for people to get what they want. Organizations pop up to help people “demand” changes that suit them I have found that some demands in life are very important. However, some demands are petty or self-centered, reckless or corrupting. Too often, people’s demands don’t consider the cost to others in order to fulfill the demand. In some instances, people don’t even care about the cost to others or society. They want their own way. They make demands.
In the scripture for today from the gospel of Luke printed above, the Jewish people gathered at Pontius Pilate’s public space demanded “with loud cries” that Jesus “should be crucified” (Luke 23:23). They didn’t want a fair trial for Jesus. They didn’t want the Roman government to be impartial. They were “demanding” for Jesus to be murdered. Despite no evidence, “their voices prevailed”. Pilate sentenced Jesus to death. “Their demand” was “granted” (Luke 23:24). This sinful act is forever a mark against those who were there, a sin that cannot be washed away. A mob made a “demand” against innocent Jesus. The mob swayed justice.
Be careful how you deal with “demands” in your own life. Are you demanding? Do you make demands when you don’t get your way? Are you swayed to change your ideas of right and wrong depending on whom is demanding your attention? Do you change the rules when pressed by a group? Pontius Pilate killed an innocent man to please the demands of a mob. Are you liable to follow the whims of others in order to look good?
When a demand goes against what is right, do you stand your ground? When God’s way is perverted or justice is twisted, you need to stand up for what is right. However, to be swayed by people who just want their way and demand you change, is what causes faith and justice to be damaged. Lives can be lost. Be careful about what demands you make. Be careful with demands that undermine what is right. God’s justice will not be swayed by selfish voices or mob rule.