Crowds

At that, the whole town went out to meet Jesus. When they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their region. - Matthew 8:34

When I was just a boy, my father, brother, and cousins went to see the great Karl Wallenda walk across Tallulah Gorge (North Georgia) on a tight-wire. Like many who were present that day, they didn't really want to see him fall, but frankly the thought or possibility of it was why they were there. We even have a digital reproduction of the event from 8mm film (somewhere). Old Karl knew how to draw a crowd and my kin were part of it.

Jesus could draw a crowd, too. Healing and feeding everyone was a pretty big draw. His teaching was transcendent as well, you might even say life-changing, and the unique nature of the message was attractive. Many came to hear it.

There were even those who came to see what might happen next, hoping for some sort of "fall" in the midst of the growing religious tension. Then there were those who just wanted Jesus to go away. His actions represented a threat to their way of life, an irritating light in their comfortable darkness and they just wanted someone, anyone to turn Him off. Finally, there were those that truly followed, to the cross, and beyond.

Crowds. We're all part of one or the other when it comes to Christ. Of which, are you?

The vulgar crowd values friends according to their usefulness. - Ovid