When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. Mark 6:34
Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Matt 9:35-38
Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” …. At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Turning to the disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see, for I say to you, that many prophets and kings wished to see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them.” Luke 10:1-2, 21-24
But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him (lamb man) and said, “Look at us!” And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene--walk!” Acts 3:4-7
Today's thoughts from today's verses:
Jesus perfectly served the purposes of His Father. There were no barriers between Him and the people around Him that were of His making. And He was able truly to “see” the people He came into contact with. What happens when we truly “see” the people we come into contact with? Unnecessary barriers that keep us from being involved are taken away so that our focus is off of us. We are not caught up in wanting to be “seen.” We are not worried about what our contact with another will do for us or to us. We are not absorbed in promoting ourselves, our agenda, or our needs. Jesus longs to send us out into the harvest fields where he says that the harvest is plentiful. We must be willing. It is not difficult. We simply seek to be present and available for the welfare of another. Filled with the presence of God, His love and compassion overflow from us to another person as He enables us to “see” that person the way He does. With troublesome barriers out of the way, the purposes God has for us in the life of another can be fulfilled.
Today's prayer response from today's thoughts:
Lord, I do pray that you will send out workers into your harvest and I genuinely intend to be a part of the answer to that prayer. I choose to take my eyes off myself and onto you and others. Fill me with your love and compassion. Show me today someone my life can touch in very special ways. May your love and compassion overflow from me to them. Perhaps in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene they will rise up and walk. Amen!
