The Crowd

And when He had entered a house, away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. Mark 7: 17

In this one sentence, invaluable, heart-warming, fellowship-renewing and hope-raising food, nourish and feed our longing, wanting souls. It’s like those times when you sit at the sumptuously laid table, dining with others and you have had a share and a second helping. Others have eaten and are joyfully thankful and satisfied. They do not desire anymore at the moment, for they are full, pleasingly full at that. All they are talking about is the food, the delicious food. They sing loud praises to the chef and are most highly impressed, not just with the quantity of food and its variety, but with the excellent quality of all the food. You are one of the guests at the table and like most other guests, you have had two servings. Needless to say, you are still not satisfied, and you want a bit more of the food, still available on the table. But you feel embarrassed, ashamed to ask for and take another serving.

• More food is available. You know it, because you see it before you.

• More food is accessible. You know this also, because it is right there in front of you. You do not have to go anywhere out of reach to get more.

• More food is admissible. You know this too, for the food has not been cleared away. It is there, advertising itself as it were to anyone, without restrictions and limitations on the number of servings one takes.

You know all of this, but you remain hungry for more, because of people. You are all about what people might think of you and say about you being greedy, unmannerly, unsociable and suchlike. You allow the people in whose company you are, to keep you from receiving what has placed before you by the host. When you remain unsatisfied, when you keep yourself from being full, as it were, you are denying the graciousness and goodness of your host. Have you ever thought of that? The person who invited you went at full lengths. I mean went all out, to provide food in abundance, so that each invited guest, including you, will eat and be full and satisfied. The desire of the host or hostess, is to please you, not have you wanting. So why will you laugh, chitchat and mingle among the happy, up-beat, spirited crowd, carrying that want, that craving, that desire for more? Worst of all, why will you leave the house of the one who invited you, lacking, needing more when more, much more food than you can ever hope to consume, remains behind on the table? You leave, thankful but in want; grateful but unsatisfied; singing the praises of the good food, but lamenting the void inside. 

Here are statements of fact. Had not the crowd been there, you would have eaten your third serving of food most comfortably and freely. But for the crowd, you would have been thoroughly satisfied in your eating, and would have left the table without any want. Had it not been for your concern about people’s views of you, and you trying to look and do as they expect of you, you would never be lacking and in want.

What’s the crowd doing for you?