“They loved praise from men more than praise from God” – John 12: 43. Over and over again it is the thing that keeps people from doing what is right and good. Obviously it was true for Pilate. Even in the face of the truths that Jesus, the King/Messiah, spoke to him, he chose to listen to the people. And then he got caught up in the whole thing and had Jesus cruelly mocked, flogged, beaten and ridiculed. What’s worse? The physical pain or the emotional/verbal torment? “Oh, Jesus, help me to realize when the praise of someone else is subtly influencing my choices or my thoughts more than Your love and Your desires for me. Even if it means standing alone, help me to do what is good in Your sight. Amen!”
