Sweetness just beneath the surface
By this time the crowd, unwieldy and stepping on each other’s toes , numbered into the thousands. But Jesus’ primary concern was his disciples. He said to them, “ Watch yourselves carefully so you don’t get contaminated with Pharisee yeast, Pharisee phoniness. You can’t keep your true self hidden forever; before long you’ll be exposed. You can’t hide behind a religious mask forever ; sooner or later the mask will slip and your true face will be known. You can’t whisper one thing in private and preach the opposite in public; the day’s coming when those whispers will be repeated all over town. (Luke 12:1-3) Give people enough to "gawk" at and they will congregate quicker than ants on honey. I fondly refer to them as "looky-loos" - they are there for the "show", not really for much else. They come interested in what they might get, not in what they might give away. What draws a crowd? Isn't it the spectacular, the unexpected, and the unusual? Jesus w