Scripture
35Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Matthew 9:35-38
Observation
How do you react when you see crowds in crisis? Jesus had just endured the baseless and biased attacks against his character, credibility and motives from the religious leaders. This would have leveled anyone else, but do you know what Jesus did? He ignored the cancel culture of His day and concentrated on what actually matter most- the people who knew they needed a Savior. We would do well to follow this example. He didn’t waste any calories trying to convince His critics and instead headed into the crowds driven by a deep compassion for the confused and helpless masses around Him. This moment of compassion was so deep and so meaningful the the writers of the New Testament had to essentially make this word up. Spurgeon writes, “The original word is a very remarkable one. It is not found in classic Greek. It is not found in the Septuagint. The fact is, it was a word coined by the evangelists themselves. They did not find one in the whole Greek language that suited their purpose, and therefore they had to make one.” It describes a man being moved in the deepest depths of his being.
Application
Is this deep compassion how we feel when we are surrounded by constant crowds, endless need, and insatiable hunger? I usually feel overwhelmed. Something like showing up to Costco on a Sunday on Thanksgiving week perhaps? My son Ben is turning 16 tomorrow and taking his drivers test on Wednesday. So, I had him take the ultimate drivers challenge… finding a parking spot at Costco after church. He did an incredible job maneuvering between carts, cars, and baby carriages. Needless to say, by the time we finally found a spot and made it the garage door opening of Costco my nerves were frazzled. As we walked up my boys and I saw it at the same time… there was only one cart left. Gone were the rows and rows of carts to fill with food that costs way more than last year. No wonder it was so hard to find a parking spot. Everyone in San Marcos was at Costco right now! Like a commander to his troops I pointed to the cart and told the boys with urgency, “There’s only one left! Quick! Get it!” They sprang in to action like lions on an antelope and just as they were about to apprehend their prey we noticed and elderly lady reaching for the same cart at the same time. She saw and we saw her. She wasn’t even going to try to compete and started walking away. To my boys credit they told her the cart was hers and she was surprised at the kindness in the middle of the Costco crowds. She looked at me and I assured her the cart was hers and that we would search for another out in the parking lot. I was proud of my boys. Jesus used this moment to give me a template for how to enter the Holiday season- with eyes wide open. It was time for me to drop my blinders and my agendas so I could be moved by compassion rather than self-preservation. That I would not let my attention be blinded by the tension all around me and often within me. That I would move from being task driven to the generous living Christ models for me. I had to laugh to myself as I had literally just finished preaching a message on making room for relationship with the world around us and I was about miss my chance to live this out.
Prayer
Even as I sit here this morning Lord, my mind is awash with all of the things I need to do this week. From my sons Birthday, to Friendsgiving at TFH, to hosting Thanksgiving at our house, to writing the message for this coming Sunday’s message I have a lot to do and not much time to do it. These legitimate plans can easily become blinders to what You are doing around me. It’s often on the way to something else that You bring someone in my way. What looks like and irritation or an interruption is an invitation to relationship. I give You every place where I feel overwhelmed by need that leads to indifference towards those around me. Let me be led by compassion. Break my heart with the things that break Yours. Multiply the harvest hands we need to reach the ones You’ve brought around us. Thank You Jesus for Your heart of love that never misses the person in the middle of the crowd.
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