The Happening at Salem - Part II

It was the kickoff of the festival. I was feeling very holy and spiritual thinking all the right thoughts. That afternoon, large crowds were assembled in the streets, and I decided to go join in. I had never been in Salem, and I assumed that this was customary. Being a stronger fellow, I pushed my way to the front of the crowd to get a clear view of what appeared to be a procession.

My first thought was that I didn’t know the Tiberians took part in the festival. My second thought was that I didn’t remember any sort of flogging of people as part of the ritual. My third thought was “Rats, I’ve run into an execution ceremony, not a religious one.”

Immediately, I recoiled. I tried to back up into the crowd, but apparently, it was a one-way crowd. You only pushed your way forward, not backward. Simultaneously, there was confusion in the procession. Somebody had stumbled, and no wonder. His back was covered in blood, He was being flogged mercilessly whenever He slowed down, and was carrying an enormous wooden “thing”. He stumbled, and the Tiberians began looking around the crowd, which started mumbling about “somebody to carry His cross”. A big, nasty brute of a Tiberian scanned the crowd and his eyes rested on me.

Rats.

I was jerked out of the crowd into the open. They dragged me over to where the Man had fallen, and ordered me to pick up the “cross”. Having little other choice, I did so. The crowd jeered at me along with the fallen Man the whole way. I was exposed, in trouble, and hated for it. What I wanted more than ever was to go and hide, away from the public’s spiteful eye, which hated me for what I was doing. But for the sake of the Man with the crown of thorns, I knew I needed to do it.

I don’t like to be despised. I like to have a good reputation among my peers and friends, and while I’m ok standing out in the crowd with friends nearby, I like to be accepted, or at least low-profile if I’m alone. Unfortunately, we’re not guaranteed that comfort or acceptance, in fact, we’re told that “…you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures will be saved.” (Matt. 10:22) There are points where we’d like to compromise or back down, but for the sake of the Man with the crown, you need to do it.