Devotion: Truth or Tribes?
Truth or Tribes?
Please take a moment to read Mark 11:1-10.
I know I would have joined the throngs of people praising Jesus as he entered Jerusalem. I’d wave my palm branch or laid down my robe and cry out “Hosanna!” But later – would I have joined the crowd at Pilate’s Praetorium? Afraid of the mob, could have I joined the cries for Jesus’s death?
A hard truth that we Christians must face is whether we sing praises on Sunday morning but join in on the gossip or demeaning jokes on Monday? Once we are not in the pew next to a Christian friend, do we seek the acceptance of the louder voices in our society? When we hear voices cursing people from other nationalities, do we join the tribe or defend justice? When we watch the harassment of others who have a different sexual orientation or dress differently than the norm, what is our response?
Part of our human psyche is to seek the acceptance of our peers. But is that more valuable than following Jesus’ examples? Is approval more rewarding than advocating for truth and moral justice? This will be a difficult undertaking. But it is imperative that we are fully honest with ourselves.
During this Holy Week, let us join the Palm Sunday crowd. We must kneel beside Jesus as he suffers in the Garden of Gethsemane. Together, we will stand among the angry crowd and bravely raise our voices singing “Hosanna to the King.” It is essential that we stand at Jesus’ feet and experience His suffering for our sins. Then we can fully understand the joy of Easter.
Dear God,
Send your Holy Spirit and bolster our courage. Give us the strength to ignore the calling of the tribes and only hear Jesus’s voice. Fortify our voices in calling for truth in our world. Through the love of our Savior, Amen.
Written by Glenda Clare
Glenda and her husband, Steve, joined Sheridan Lutheran in the spring of 2003. At previous Lutheran churches, Glenda has been active as an organist, Sunday School teacher and superintendent, and served on liturgy teams. As a retired English and Speech Communications educator, Glenda enjoys reading, writing, and caring for her granddaughter, Rose.