Read Matthew 26:73-75 NIV
“After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.” Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.”
Read Exodus 32:7-8 NIV
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’”
Two moments in Scripture highlight the power of group pressure: Peter’s denial of Jesus and Israel’s worship of the golden calf. Both reveal how quickly people can cave when the crowd’s voice grows louder than God’s.
Peter, bold and faithful in private, stood outside the high priest’s courtyard surrounded by servants and soldiers. Under pressure from bystanders, he denied even knowing Jesus — not once, but three times (Matthew 26:69-75).
The crowd didn’t threaten him with violence; they simply questioned him. But their collective scrutiny was enough to overwhelm his courage.
Centuries earlier, the Israelites gathered around Aaron while Moses was on Mount Sinai. They demanded visible gods to lead them, and Aaron — though once chosen as a leader — gave in. Together, the crowd built a golden calf, celebrated it with a feast, and called it their deliverer (Exodus 32). One voice might not have swayed Aaron, but the collective chant of many did.
Now fast-forward to today’s digital world: social media has become the gathering place of many voices of all types. It amplifies both the wise and unwise and is purposefully tuned to us.
A single scroll can expose us to thousands of opinions, subtle judgments, and emotional triggers for both good and ill.
We must be discerning not only in our in-person relationships but also in our virtual ones. Who are you listening to? Whose approval are you seeking?
Jesus restored Peter because his failure wasn’t final — and God gave Israel the law again, despite their rebellion. Mercy met both situations. But these moments also serve as wake-up calls. Don’t follow the noise. Follow the voice of the Shepherd.
“I want to be a more serious-minded Christian, more detached from this world, more ready for heaven than I have ever been in my whole life. I want an ear that is sharp to know the voice of the enemy, whether it comes from religion, politics, or philosophy … I would rather stand and have everybody my enemy than to go along with the crowd to destruction. Do you feel that way?” A.W Tozer
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 NIV
Something to think about today:
Is your online life shaping you more than your spiritual life? Are you resisting the crowd — or becoming part of it?
