A crowd can wield great control over an individual. I was reminded of this as I read a newspaper article about an old carnival headliner nicknamed "Cannonball." In his younger days he was blasted out of a cannon 1,200 times. When asked why he did this, he replied, "Do you know what it's like to feel the applause of 60,000 people? That's why I did it!"

Many religious leaders of Jesus' day loved the approval of the crowd. Outwardly religious, they pretended to have the truth but rejected the Savior. As they walked across the stage of human history, they paraded around in robes of self-righteousness and refused to believe in Jesus, not even giving Him a fair hearing. They were like people walking on a sheet of ice that was melting from the heat of an underlying lake of fire. They faced eternal condemnation because they were more concerned with receiving honor from one another than from God (Jn. 5:44).

How much does the crowd—your family, friends, and co-workers—influence you and your response to Jesus? Are you so interested in their approval that you are rejecting the only One who can save you from your sins? If so, consider the risk. Take the course of wisdom and receive Christ as your personal Savior.  — Mart De Haan