Following the Crowd

The monorail packed with tourists lurched from the Piazzale Roma station headed toward the next stop where most of the travelers would exit.  The train took us the half-mile across the canal to the Venice port terminal, where it slowed to a stop.

The doors slid open and people began to pour out onto the second floor of the terminal.  When we were finally able to step onto the cement, we blindly followed the mass of people down the escalator to the first floor.

To our surprise, the stream of people turned and went back up the escalator to the second floor again.  We looked around and tried to figure out what was going on.  Then we saw the reason why.  In order to exit the terminal, we needed to be on the opposite side of a fenced area that separated the station into entry and exit areas. We had just descended into the entry area and now needed to re-track our steps so that we could get to the exit.  In following the crowd, we had assumed that they knew the right way to go, when in fact they led us in the wrong direction. 

In order to get back on track, we had to go right back to where we started, go to the right and down the other escalator to the exit.  Following the crowd caused us a lot of extra time and energy when we were already exhausted. 

Regarding the Pharisees, Jesus tells us in Matthew 15:14; “They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”

Thankfully, when we figured out the right way to go, we were able to get out of the terminal and on to our destination.  It’s the same way with us in our lives, too.  It’s easy for us to end up going the wrong way, following the crowd that leads us away from the way that we should go.  The good news is that we can get our lives on track by following Jesus Christ instead of our own way.  Jesus says in John 14:6; “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

With Christ’s help, regardless of the pathway that we have taken, we can get our lives back on track by following Him.  Let’s all follow Jesus and get on the right way.