The palm-waving crowd that welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem angered the Pharisees. They were incensed at such unruly behavior in their holy city and reprimanded Jesus for allowing it.
Jesus had an interesting response to their sacrilegious restraint. He told them if the people weren’t allowed to praise God’s servant, the very stones under their feet would take over the shout.
In other words, use your voice for the right reason, or God will give it away. Are the stones still waiting to see if we use our voices to praise their Creator?
Sometimes, it feels like they won’t have to wait much longer. Sometimes, it feels like the Pharisees are winning. The loudest voices we hear today aren’t used to praise Jesus, are they?
What about our voices? Where do we raise them to honor Jesus?
I’m not talking about obnoxious behavior where pushy people speak arrogantly about a faith with little substance. Nor am I talking about protests for or against anything.
Instead, I ask myself, where do I raise my voice for Jesus? Where do I speak the words of faith I believe? How can I keep the stones quiet?
I’m not advocating we take to the streets like the people did that day in Jerusalem. I’m not sure a show of force makes the impact that one voice could make at the right time. Proverbs 25:11 calls words spoken at the right time “apples of gold in a silver setting.”
I want to share some golden apples. I want to look for the openings where a “right word” makes a difference. I want to raise my voice as my palm branch to honor Jesus. I want to do my part to keep the stones quiet.
We can’t be silent like stones. We can’t simply let the loudest voices be the ones everyone hears best. We don’t need more arguments or debates. We need more golden apples, We need more God-directed words spoken at the right time.
As we celebrate Palm Sunday in a few days, I will raise a palm with this prayer: Lord, help me raise my voice and know how to serve your golden apples at the right time.
The stones will have to wait.
