Some of the men who made shrines for
the temple of Artemis were upset because Paul was teaching that there was only
one true God. They knew that message would
hurt their sales, and so they stirred up a mob against Paul and his traveling
companions. But the whole seen got out
of control. There was chaos and
confusion. Some people were shouting one
thing and some another thing. Some were
just shouting and had no idea why they were there.The story is a vivid example of mob mentality. The term “mob mentality” is used to refer to unique behavioral characteristics that emerge when people are in large groups. It is often used in a negative sense, because the term “mob” typically conjures up an image of an aggressive, chaotic group of people. The study of mob mentality is used to analyze situations that range from problems during evacuations to public gatherings that turn violent.
This is not the first example of mob mentality in the New Testament. Mob mentality led to the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus. It led to the execution of innocent Christians.
I recognize the effect of mob mentality in my life. Sometimes I allow people or circumstances to drag me into negative emotions and actions. It is really easy to get caught up in the emotion and excitement of it all, and before I know it I am heading down a destructive path.
Paul fortunately had people in his life who helped him take a step back and stay out of the mob. Paul had a pretty strong personality and was ready to jump into the mix. Sometimes we need others to help us step back and stay out of mob mentality. I need help with this and I am guessing you do too. So think about it. Are you allowing a person or a circumstance to drag you into negative emotions or actions? Are you jumping into an angry mob mentality without really knowing all the info? Maybe we all need to take a step back from time to time and gain a larger perspective through the help of our faith community. This can happen through worship, through small group, through Christian counsel, etc. Or maybe you need to step in and help someone else step back and gain a healthy perspective through the lens of faith, hope, and love.
Share your comments and application ideas…
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