JANUARY 29 - Send Them Away?
As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” — MATTHEW 14:15 – 16
Picture what happened before Jesus fed the five thousand. The hour was getting late, yet the crowd just sat there with their tummies growling. They came all the way out to the countryside to hear Jesus preach, but they didn’t think to bring a bag lunch. The disciples probably thought: Where were these people’s heads when they left home this morning? Didn’t they know they’d get hungry? I can identify with the disciples: “Send them away, Lord. They got themselves into this mess. Sure, they’re hungry, but it shouldn’t be our problem. If they’re hungry, it serves them right; they made their own bed, now let them lie in it — it’ll teach them a lesson!”
Have you ever thought that? We reason that if people got themselves into a jam, they should get themselves out. Like the mother who has five children, and three of them are mentally handicapped because of her own addictions. Or the guy who broke his neck from driving drunk. Or the teenager who thought he knew better than his coach and ended up paralyzed. They all should have known better.
Let’s learn a lesson from Jesus’ response. The Bible says that when he saw these people, his heart went out to them. And you know the story from there. Jesus appealed to the disciples out of his own compassion.
Yes, the five thousand should have known better. Nevertheless, the heart of Jesus went out to the people. There are individuals in your community who “should have known better” but now are in sad straits. Jesus has compassion for them and he is appealing to you to help them. Will you?
Lord, make my heart more compassionate toward those who need my help. May I make a difference in their lives for your name’s sake.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment