Fickle People

"As they approached Jerusalem... a very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, 'Hosanna to the Son of David!' 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!' 'Hosanna in the highest!'"

"'What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?' Pilate asked. They all answered, 'Crucify him!' 'Why? What crime has he committed?' asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, 'Crucify him!'"

-- Mt. 21:1, 8-9 and 27:22-23

Fickle creatures, aren't we? It's easy to cluck our tongues and shake our heads at the ones who demanded Jesus' death, especially after the enthusiastic welcome he had received. But are we really all that different? When we focus on what we expect to receive from Christ rather than recognizing and trusting the nature of God to want and bring about what is best, it is easy to lose sight of reality.