When He Heard

Reading: 2 Samuel 2; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalm 142; Matthew 14 13 As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns. 14 Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (Matthew 14:13-14 NLT) Jesus was grieving deeply over the death of his cousin John the Baptist. When the awful news that Herod had beheaded John as a party favor for his step-daughter reached him all the way up in Galilee, he just wanted to get away and be by himself. But when he saw multitudes of needy people, he was moved with compassion for them, and he put their needs above his own. Jesus’ compassion set the stage for two remarkable miracles – feeding five thousand men, plus women and children with two dried sardines and five biscuits; and Peter walking on the water of Lake Galilee at 3:00 in the morning in a storm! I want to be moved with compassion as Jesus was. The trouble is, it’s just so easy for me to justify putting my own needs above the needs of others! But that’s not the Jesus way!

Here’s how Paul describes the Jesus way… 2 Share each other’s troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3 If you think you are too important to help someone in need, you are only fooling yourself. You are really a nobody. (Galatians 6:2-3 NLT) Who knows what blessings may be released if we take our eyes off ourselves and begin to look at others with compassion! Who knows what miracles may happen if we learn to put the needs of others before our own! Prayer: Father, Please help me take the Jesus way when it comes to my needs and the needs of others. Let your heart of compassion move me to be a blessing to others even when it’s hard or inconvenient. Amen.