Reflecting the Image

Scripture

Matthew 15:32–39

Matt. 15:32   Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.” 33 The disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in the desert to feed so great a crowd?” 34 Jesus asked them, “How many loaves have you?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish; and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And all of them ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 38 Those who had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 After sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.

Observation

Jesus and His disciples had been ministering to the crowds for three days. By now, the disciples must have been tired, and Jesus Himself had been continually giving of Himself. Yet even at the end of these demanding days, Jesus remained attentive to the people before Him.

“I have compassion for the crowd,” He said.

His compassion was more than a feeling or a sympathetic word. Jesus saw their physical need and was unwilling to send them away hungry. They needed to be fed.

What strikes me is that Jesus began with what they had. Seven loaves and a few small fish were clearly not enough to feed more than four thousand people. Yet Jesus took what was available and gave thanks for it. In His hands, the seemingly inadequate offering became enough for everyone—and there was still food left over.

A willing heart filled with compassion, together with an offering placed gratefully in the hands of Jesus, can become more than we ever imagined.

Application

I have been involved in ministry for more than forty years. Chuck and I have had the privilege of serving the Lord in many different settings, and quite honestly, there have been times when we have been exhausted.

That is what strikes me about this moment. Even after days of ministry, Jesus still saw the need before Him. Weariness did not make Him indifferent. His heart remained open, and His compassion moved Him to act.

What an example Jesus is for us.

Just a few weeks ago, while in Tennessee for a district assembly, I was invited to visit a compassionate ministry center in Tullahoma. On that Sunday afternoon, I met some of the most remarkable people. As I listened to those who were helping feed the hungry in their community, I felt as though I were standing on holy ground.

They were an army of prayer warriors. Week after week, they prayed for the food and supplies needed to serve their neighbors.

One of the women involved in the ministry had a refrigerator that stopped working. It was beyond repair, and she did not have the money to replace it. So she began praying for a refrigerator. Day after day, she thanked and praised God for what she had while continuing to trust Him for what she needed.

Then one day, the ministry leader called and asked whether she was still praying for a refrigerator.

She told him that she was praying every day.

He replied that she could stop asking. An organization had just delivered seven new refrigerators.

The stories of compassion, thanksgiving, and multiplication seemed almost beyond belief. Amazon, Costco, and major grocery stores began providing so much food that the ministry is now able to serve thousands of families each month.

And still, at the center of it all, is a group of ordinary disciples who love Jesus and faithfully pray for the food they distribute each week.

I was humbled to stand among them.

They reminded me that compassion does not begin with having abundant resources. It begins by seeing the need, offering what is already in our hands, and trusting Jesus with the results.

Prayer

Lord, give me strength, even when I am weary, to follow Your heart of compassion. Help me to see the needs around me, offer faithfully what I have, and trust You to make it enough. May my faith grow like that of the saints in Tennessee who depend upon You to provide. Amen.