- From Jeremiah 20
Jeremiah 20 talks about a man that attempted to preach the Word of God. He tried to proclaim what is right. He identified evil; he called it out.
But the response from the community was to mock and ridicule him. They shouted him down. They did worse than charge him with a crime: they ganged up on him and shamed him.
They called him a "hater." They accused him of being "judgmental." They mocked his lack of education. They noticed that he had peculiar traits - maybe he had a speech impediment. Perhaps he had none of the trappings that indicated wealth and success. Being on the edge of society, he was an easy target.
They joked about him . . . he had obvious limitations that might be those of someone that had not "gotten any" in quite some time. So they pointed that out about him. As a man that guarded his tongue and deliberately avoided language others would find personally insulting, he was careful not to use vulgar terms. His language was devoid of F-bombs and other sexual innuendo, for he knew that you are what you say, and he would not let filth leave his mouth.
So they took note of that and made sure to use such vulgar language to describe him.
They found strength in numbers. If only two opponents to this man could be found, to join forces and ridicule him, it would be effective enough. But they amassed a great crowd to join in the celebration of exposing this pious fool. Most of the people in the crowd really didn't care one way or the other . . . they just enjoyed the carnal dehumanizing of another.
The crowd learned ways to effect faux dignity to their cause: the great mission to silence those that call them to holy and dignified living. Perhaps they made "liberty," or "freedom," or "justice" their cause célèbre. They gave themselves a noble label: something like "United," or "Solidarity," or "Indivisible."
They almost won. The man gave up, perhaps bitterly, this effort to proclaim God's word. But in the end the "fire" within himself, that had been "shut up in his bones" could not be contained. He rested on God's protection, and persisted.
It's just like the way a crowd swirled up in violent opposition to Christ. It's easy to join a gang. But much more terrifying to try to go out as a single voice.
The people ganged up on the One Man seeking to do God's will.
I remember as a kid, living in my very happy, very wonderful suburban neighborhood. Those were the Wonder Years and I will always cherish those memories. But occasionally the kids in the neighborhood would do this thing called "ganging up." The target of such an act was always someone not present. As they gossiped about the one not there, their shared stories soon turned into ire against the absent one. They would agree to "gang up," or shun the person so that he or she would not attempt to play or associate with the larger group. If you were the target, you would just have to stay inside for a couple days, until it subsided. And it always subsided.
Because mobs are like that. They are more about the passions of the moment. And they are more about getting the cheap, temporary thrill of dehumanizing someone else. It's laughable, and pathetic, when people that fancy themselves as advocates for "Social Justice" engage in such behavior.
I became conditioned not to trust the Gang. Nor do I trust the Gang "Boss," the person that has title, position, wealth, or even "expertise" to sway large groups of people and give legitimacy to their cruel behavior.
The King of Kings went to trial alone. And stood totally alone. Let me be more like Him.
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