Mark 15:15
And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

Pilate did the wrong thing for the wrong reason. He traded Jesus for Barabbas to calm a shouting, hostile crowd. He tried a few times to do the right thing legally, but in the end, he gave in to the crowd’s demands to crucify Jesus. Of course we know that the crucifixion was necessary for our salvation and that Jesus had to go the cross for us. We know that God’s plan had to be worked out somehow, and these were the means He used. But from the standpoint of justice, Pilate made the wrong decision.

Do we ever crucify Jesus anew by trading Him for something else in life? Do we give in to a person or a crowd around us denouncing Jesus and deny Him ourselves? Do we back down from a biblical stance simply because there is an outcry from some hostile group? Let’s not allow others, no matter how loud they shout or how angry they are, to dictate anything about our faith in God, our testimony before the world, or our stance on important issues. Let’s not give up on a relationship with Jesus simply because the multitude around us would choose death over life.

Too often it seems we try to content the people around us. And while we don’t want to be unkind or judgmental of others, we cannot compromise the truth of God to pacify anyone. We can’t change the ways of God to make them fit into people’s lives. We can’t turn against our Lord for the sake of making other people comfortable. We can’t do what we know to be wrong just because someone else would want us to.

Jesus Himself showed us how to live among a hostile crowd. He spoke up for the truth of God and the ways of righteousness, and He dealt with people with love and compassion. Whenever we may be faced with conflict or attacks because of our faith, let’s turn to Jesus for help in dealing with it with grace and compassion. His detractors marveled more at His silence than His words, and His actions proved His love. When we live seeking to please God and not men, we know that everything will be made right in the end, and by remaining faithful to Him no matter what, we will ultimately be rewarded.