Margin

Matt 14:13,14 "When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick."

Jesus was an amazing man. Not only was He God, but He was a man. And as a man he dealt with the same physical and emotional stuff that I deal with. He dealt with hunger. He dealt with being tired. He dealt with the burden of people's problems. He dealt with sadness. But as God, He knew how to handle this stuff. He knew what was necessary to recharge His batteries and what was necessary was that he get away. He needed to be by Himself for a time and let the stuff that was pressing in on Him wait.

He did that here. He heard that His cousin and good friend John the Baptist had been martyred. He was beheaded because he stood for the truth and Herodias (Philip's wife but Herod's plaything) didn't like hearing the truth from John the Baptist that it was wrong for Herod to have her. (Side note: I have heard people say that we should not expect the unsaved to act like the saved, that we cannot hold them to the same standard that we have so we should not tell them what the Bible expects. Apparently John the Baptist didn't think that way because he was not hindered him from speaking the truth to Herod and Herodias. He told them what they were doing was wrong and he paid with his life. How bold am I with those in leadership?) When Jesus heard that John the Baptist was dead, He got away from it all. He took some time and went to a deserted place to be by Himself.

I know that I have recently felt some pressure. Not so much from work, or home, but from ministry. I love doing ministry. I love helping people. I love being a part of building the kingdom in the placed that God has planted me. Yet sometimes I can get weary. Just this last Sunday I was responsible to meet with some people after church. The problem is, several others kept coming up to me and saying: "Do you have a minute?" I don't know how many times I heard that on Sunday morning when I finally told our church secretary: "No". It was not the kindest response and I had to apologize. My wife actually said that I had "a little melt down". This was not Jesus. This was not what He would have done. He would have made sure that He had balance. He would have made sure that He had some margin in His life. He got away to a deserted place and spent time by Himself. I usually do not do that and I need to learn from the God-Man that this is important.

But then look…the pressure kept coming. The multitudes found out where He was and pushed to see Him. How did He respond? With a "no"? No. He responded with compassion. He met their needs. He cared about them. Later in the chapter we see where Jesus actually sent the multitudes away and went on a mountain by Himself to pray. V23

How much margin time do I give myself? Jesus needed it…so do I. Maybe then I will respond without saying: "No".