Column: Don’t go along with the crowd
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Pastor Joel Whiteside First Presbyterian Church
There is one verse in the last chapter of the Second Letter of Paul to the Church in Corinth that seems upon first encounter to be difficult to understand. This verse is found in the 13th Chapter, verse 7 in this book:
“But we pray to God that you may not do anything wrong — not that we may appear to have passed the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed.” (NRSV)
My way of interpreting this verse is something like this: It doesn’t matter what others think. Do what is right regardless of what they think, even if they think you are nuts. Anyway, something along those lines is my approach to the meaning here.
The meaning is beautiful to me. We surrender too much of our power when we worry about what others may think of us. People of accomplishment have the courage to stand out in the crowd, advance perspectives not yet appreciated, values that are not immediately recognized and insights not yet envisioned. People of accomplishment dare to be different. People who let themselves get bashed around by the opinion of others get nowhere.
The crowd, in its momentary fancies and preoccupations, is a terrible foundation upon which to base judgments and behaviors. Eternal truths are passed over by people living in this culture of mindless distraction. If you are a betting person, put your money on the crowd being wrong, silly, short-sighted and stupid. Bet against the crowd ever stumbling on anything worthwhile. Let’s see, what has the crowd ever been wrong about? Let’s see … well, everything.
Consider the events remembered each year during Holy Week. It begins with the crowds cheering as Jesus entered Jerusalem, but ends with the crowd shouting, “Crucify him.” The crowds flocked to see Jesus and marvel at his miracles and wisdom. But at the end of that life, the crowds were there to condemn him. Crowds invariably get caught up in momentary fancies at the expense of thoughtful conviction.
How much of our lives are dominated by the idiocy, mendacity and cruelty of the crowd? How much of the crowd and its influence gets into our own heads? It is as if we fall into a swoon, whipped around here and there by the judgments of others. How liberating it is to pull out of that influence and embrace instead the higher truths of the best of our honored traditions of belief and understanding.
Consider every negative thing we have ever thought about ourselves, then ask yourself: Where did that negative thought come from? It probably didn’t come from honest and fair self-evaluation. It most likely was derived from the twisted values of the crowd. Who are you going to let tell you who you are and how you are to be valued? If you leave all that up to the stupidity of common opinion and thought, good luck.
Believe in yourself and your sense of right and wrong. Don’t go along with the crowd.
