Jesus has now caused such a stir that his movements are being hampered. He tells the disciples to be ready with a boat in case he gets pushed off the beach. When he goes home he can’t even find time to eat for the crowds. His family attempts to get him back home and call him crazy.
Jesus seems to be welcoming this attention or he would have disappeared. He does go out in a quiet natural spot to pray and he decides who he will include to be his helpers.
At this beginning time he seems intent on building up a crowd of people around him. Was it to help alleviate suffering? Was it to increase the popularity of his message?
I went to a high school play. Afterwards the main entrances were blocked with people wanting to talk to the cast members. As they did it right at the exits, we ended up with people surrounding us and standing there. It was very hard to move through the crowd. And they didn’t want us. I can’t imagine how much more difficult it would be to have people seeking another out. The press and the grabbing must have been tough.
It seems that it would be really easy in this press of popularity that one could lose sight of what is important. We can be easily led astray by the attention placed on us.
Jesus went to a quiet place to pray. It seems he went to that quiet place a lot. The massing of the crowds looked pretty intentional but Jesus never once appeared to lose his focus.
Prayer: No matter what the crowds are doing, and even if people are focused on me, let me always remember my focus, that I don’t need to be led astray by popularity. Let me always lock my focus in aligning myself with where you are working.
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