Seeing Beyond the Crowds: The Heart of Compassionate Ministry
Matthew 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Let us look closely at the first few words of this verse, “But when he saw the multitudes…” In order to minister to the multitudes, we must first SEE the multitudes. What I mean is, we cannot minister to people if they are invisible to us. The reason Jesus had compassion on them was first because he actually SAW them!
Jesus, unlike any hireling today, noticed the people around Him who needed help. He did not ignore, look over, or look right through anyone. He always had time to stop and minister to anyone in the crowd. He wasn’t too lofty, too high and mighty, too proud, or too significant to take time out of His busy schedule to stop right in the middle of what He was doing to meet someone’s need.
Jesus didn’t just love the crowds; He loved the people of the crowds! Every minister of the Gospel should desire to be like Christ in this respect. We should never look through what God wants us to look at. It is the pastor who pays close attention to detail that is most effective in ministry. Why? Because every person matters, no matter their age, background, history, race, financial portfolio, or social class.
Here is a word of caution; if you look right through others, know assuredly that they also see right through you! People know when you don’t really care. This generation doesn’t want to be told another lie; they have been lied to enough. What people need is proof in action.
It would be far better to simply prove our love by what we do for others, rather than filling their heads with empty phrases suggesting that we love them, even though we don’t have time for them. Now, I do understand the limitations of humanity; we can only physically spend so much time and energy in others before we are exhausted and there is no more to go around. However, if we will have the heart that Jesus had, that love will be realized by even those whom we may never be able to connect with on a personal level.
After Jesus SAW the multitude, He then told His disciples to pray that the Lord would send forth labourers into his harvest, due to the fact that the harvest is plenteous, but the labourers are few. The question is, can we SEE the need as Christ did?
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
Let us look closely at the first few words of this verse, “But when he saw the multitudes…” In order to minister to the multitudes, we must first SEE the multitudes. What I mean is, we cannot minister to people if they are invisible to us. The reason Jesus had compassion on them was first because he actually SAW them!
Jesus, unlike any hireling today, noticed the people around Him who needed help. He did not ignore, look over, or look right through anyone. He always had time to stop and minister to anyone in the crowd. He wasn’t too lofty, too high and mighty, too proud, or too significant to take time out of His busy schedule to stop right in the middle of what He was doing to meet someone’s need.
Jesus didn’t just love the crowds; He loved the people of the crowds! Every minister of the Gospel should desire to be like Christ in this respect. We should never look through what God wants us to look at. It is the pastor who pays close attention to detail that is most effective in ministry. Why? Because every person matters, no matter their age, background, history, race, financial portfolio, or social class.
Here is a word of caution; if you look right through others, know assuredly that they also see right through you! People know when you don’t really care. This generation doesn’t want to be told another lie; they have been lied to enough. What people need is proof in action.
It would be far better to simply prove our love by what we do for others, rather than filling their heads with empty phrases suggesting that we love them, even though we don’t have time for them. Now, I do understand the limitations of humanity; we can only physically spend so much time and energy in others before we are exhausted and there is no more to go around. However, if we will have the heart that Jesus had, that love will be realized by even those whom we may never be able to connect with on a personal level.
After Jesus SAW the multitude, He then told His disciples to pray that the Lord would send forth labourers into his harvest, due to the fact that the harvest is plenteous, but the labourers are few. The question is, can we SEE the need as Christ did?
~ Pastor Gary Caudill