Walking Until You’re Footsore is the Cost of Attending the Fair
Ed, my old neighbor from Saskatchewan, told me that he went to Buffalo Days in Regina this summer. When we talked last, I told him that we were planning on going to the Chilliwack Fair here, but my right leg was demanding attention. It seemed to be protesting my daily biking and extra walking. It was more than a little sore, and I needed to coddle it. There was no walking at the fair this year for me.
My old neighbor had to point out at my age I should know better than to be biking every day. He admitted himself that after walking around the Exhibition for a day his feet and legs were sore. He made a day of the fair because he wanted to see the R.C.M.P Musical Ride evening grandstand show, and everything else he could take in. Apparently, he had never heard of Shawn Mendes, another headliner at Buffalo Days. Ed asked if I had heard of Shawn Mendes. Before, I could answer him he said that Shawn Mendes is another Justin Bieber type for teenagers. When I told him our fair had Platinum Blonde as a headliner, he asked if Platinum Blonde was a woman’s band. He knew better.
People go to see the best of livestock and exhibits at the fair. They love the midway and food and the headliners who bring the famous near enough to been seen live and in person. Fair attendants feel being a little foot weary is nothing compared with what they can see and experience at the fair. For many folks, walking among crowds of people is an exhilarating occurrence.
Many folks came out to see Jesus because of his fame as a teacher and miracle healer. People are always curious to see if what they have heard is true about someone famous. Many can become excited by fair performers especially if they are the big name, headliners. Those folks want to prove for themselves that the famous are worth seeing.
People have a great need to satisfy their appetite for excitement and inspiration by seeing how others perform. How others perform will be more about the spectator than the performer. What performers do can thrill us or depress us. What thrills and impresses me may anger or annoy you. What we see is about the thoughts and assumptions in our minds while viewing the person performing.
Popularity for performers is never guaranteed as fans can disappear overnight. The crowd was great when Jesus entered Jerusalem as they waved palm branches and celebrated Jesus of Nazareth, as their king. A few days later, the crowds called out for his crucifixion. Jesus hadn’t changed but what the people thought of him had changed.
Jesus entered Jerusalem to die for all people whether they saw him as the Son of God or not. He came to fulfill the law perfectly for sinners and to suffer their punishment for sins on the cross. Many at his crucifixion and death thought he was a loser. They believed that he should have come down off the cross to save himself. God is about saving others. Do we care most about saving ourselves while ignoring what others need?
