We are pressured constantly.
Pressured by our family, our friends, our employers, and even our pets. Both overtly and implicitly. They all pressure us to do, to think, or to be, often by attempting to reorient our perspective. And they are surprisingly effective.
Although sometimes presented with negative connotation, we recognize pressure’s utility and benefit as well. For absent enough external and internal pressure, humans become listless and lost. Like a sailboat sans wind. However, pressure certainly does possess a darker manipulative side. Unchecked it can derail us into troubling scenarios or mistakes we might never have arrived at in isolation. Pontius Pilate, when presiding over the trial of Jesus, found himself in one such scenario.
“[Pilate] tried a third time. “But for what crime? I’ve found nothing in him deserving death. I’m going to warn him to watch his step and let him go.” But they kept at it, a shouting mob, demanding that he be crucified. And finally they shouted him down. Pilate caved in and gave them what they wanted. He released the man thrown in prison for rioting and murder, and gave them Jesus to do whatever they wanted.”
Pilate is remembered as the man who sentenced Jesus to death, and certainly he was the official responsible. But did you catch the context? Pilate is standing in front of a mob pressuring him to kill Jesus. He seemingly has no personal vendetta against him, and in fact tries repeatedly to free him, but the people are indignant. He attempts to sidestep his responsibility, but finally (like so many of us) relents to the crowd. Note however that it is he, not the crowd, that history remembers as the villain.
The details of this story are unique, but the scenario is not. We have all been in a situation when we knew what the right thing to do was, but caved because we were repeatedly pressed. For standing against the group is both uncomfortable and unnerving as we jeopardize our social acceptance in dissent. However, we mustn’t forget that it is the individual, not the group, that will ultimately be held accountable.
Pressure is a necessary constant in the human experience. If we can persevere and remain true we can emerge even greater. For pressure creates diamonds and dust all the same.