"When they heard this they were enraged and shouted, 'Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!'  The city was filled with the confusion; and people rushed together to the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's travel companions.  Paul wished to go into the crowd, but the disciples would not let them; even some officials of the province of Asia, who were friendly to him, sent him a message urging him not to venture into the theater.  Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together.  Some of the crowd gave instructions to Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed forward.  And Alexander motioned for silence and tried to make a defense before the people.  But when they had recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours all of them shouted in unison, 'Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!'

It is true that we, as humans, often forget how to live.  It is more true of the mob.

Here we see what happens when an entire city is swayed by the words of a man who wants to make a profit, no matter what.  Artemis told the leaders of the city that Paul was trying to make them fail.  Now Paul's companions and friends are all about to die by the hands of a mob that refuses to look at both sides.

Herein lies our task as Christians:  To listen to both sides.  Not to be swayed by the mob.  To search for truth.

It is so easy to be caught up in hate.  So easy to give in to popular opinion.

We must work for the Truth!