Serving with Compassion
Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to Jesus and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” He replied, “You give them something to eat.” (Luke 9:12-13)
The story of Jesus feeding a crowd of thousands of people (Luke 9:1-17) weaves together themes from throughout his ministry. These include compassion, power over creation, the ability to sustain life, and involving others in responding to people’s needs.
Throughout the gospels, when Jesus saw people’s hurts and struggles, He responded with love, even when the recipient of His blessing was considered an outcast or enemy. Jesus always had time for people; The Son of God was never too busy to bless children or notice a poor widow or provide a meal for over 5000 people. Not only did He respond to people with compassion, He taught His disciples (and us) to respond that way.
All too often, we may feel paralyzed by the thought that we don’t have enough to meet the vast amount of needs all around us. When we stay focused on all the things we can’t do, we can easily miss the things we can do to be a blessing.
We have daily opportunities to come alongside the people around us. It could mean sending a note to a friend or neighbor who is experiencing difficulties. Perhaps it involves cooking a meal for someone and dropping it off for them. Maybe it includes simply listening to another person’s story. And when we have no idea how to help someone one, we can pray for them – not just once or twice but repeatedly.
When we seek to provide care and compassion to others, we reflect a beautiful picture of Jesus.
God, help us to see the needs of others not as interruptions to our day, but rather as opportunities to reflect the love of Christ for people who need it. In His name, Amen.