Disciples Share Jesus’ Heart of Compassion
for Ministering to the Crowds
Both Jesus and the disciples had already been doing ministry to the point of weariness, as our Tuesday Gospel reading from Mark six describes.
Yet with minimal time to retreat, reset and restore (Mark 6:32-33), Jesus’ compassion is ready to pour out again – and the disciples were right there with Him all day.
But Jesus still had much to teach His closest disciples – a life-altering lesson about supply and demand for both the crowds and the disciples. God bless our time in Your Word this week about living with godly compassion.
Mark 6:32-33
32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.
This answer from Jesus comes in response to a question posed from a listener: “who is my neighbor?”.
Luke 10:37b
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Pondering Point
Imagine if we narrowed our definition of neighbor to be only people for whom we do things (as the Good Samaritan does for his neighbor). To whom have you been a neighbor? How many neighbors would you have? Where do they live? Would those living next-door fit the definition of neighbor or merely be people who breathe the same air and share the same roads and sidewalks?
Based on Jesus’ encouragement that the rich man “go and do likewise,” go practice some neighborly activities.
Prayer
Lord God, help me "go and do likewise", becoming the neighbor you desire regardless of who happens to be around me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.