When
have you been attracted to or repelled by large crowds (sporting
events, rock concerts, political rallies, opening day at a new mall)?
What do you do to get away from the maddening crowd? (Serendipity
Bible 10th anniversary edition, page 1395).
I
am never attracted by large crowds, but I am attracted by their
significance. For example, I used to on occasion attend the Florida
annual conference of the Methodist Church. Thousands attended and it
was reassuring to know that I and my home congregation were not alone
but Methodism was an expansive, ongoing, and thriving enterprise. As
a youngster when I would go with my father to conference, I would
frequently abandoned the conference (once the significance of the
occasion had duly made an impression) and walk downtown to the
dimestore and buy a bag of salted Spanish peanuts (as I recall, a big
bag for 35 cents). Likewise, after the election of Barack Obama I
rejoiced to see on TV a huge crowd gathered to help him celebrate his
victory. Yet, I would have gladly given 100 bucks not to have been
there personally. The same goes for sporting events, mass concerts,
and huge throngs generally. One reason I attend the early service on
Sunday mornings is that only a 100 or less attend that service. I
like to feel that I am within a fellowship not a throng-ship. I feel
especially fortunate for television and other forms of mass
communication paradoxically go a long way toward taking the “mass”
out of communication—every day communication is becoming more
personal.
PS:
If you follow my blog daily you will notice that I have had a lapse
or two now for several days. The reason is that I caught a head cold
that hit me like a ton of bricks—head congestion, coughing (thank
goodness, no flu symptoms). I did have to take some sick time off from
work. Which in a sense makes it a vacation—or as British Prime
Minister Lloyd George said, “I find that a change of nuisance is as
good as a vacation.” (Quoted in The President's Devotional
by Joshua Dubois, Jan 26).
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