Matt 9:36 "But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd."
When I read this verse I think to myself: "Where is my heart? What do I really care about?" There is no question where Jesus' heart was at…with weary, scattered people. As He went about all the cities and villages teaching in the synagogues He saw the multitude. The word for multitude means a crowd, a group of ordinary, common people who gathered together without any order. When Jesus saw this, when He saw masses of people who were living without any direction He was moved with compassion. He saw weak, tired out people who were just thrown out there, leaderless, clueless, purposeless, dumb sheep and His heart, His inner man was moved. He wanted more for these people. He wanted them to really live. So what did He do? He told His disciples to do something about it. He told His disciples to pray for laborers to bring in a harvest. Really what Jesus saw was a group of people who were hungry. A mass of people who were just waiting. A multitude of people who were just ripe for the picking. He knew that everything was ready, but there had to be other people who would bring this harvest in, so He told His disciples to pray about this situation. (v37.38)
Frankly, that is where it starts. That is where the heart comes from. He was telling His guys to develop a heart for people and it starts with praying. Praying that God would develop people who would reach people. Why did Jesus tell His guys to pray like this? Because He knew that if they prayed for laborers, they would develop a heart to become laborers and they would be the ones who would reach the lost, clueless sheep.
My problem is that my heart is not like this. Why? Because I don't pray like this. Sure I care about people, and I want to see people brought into the kingdom, but am I really moved with compassion over my neighbors, my clients, others that I know? It is clear, this world is clueless. This world is filled with sheep who need a shepherd. This world is filled with weak, tired out people who are just thrown out to live life and they have no idea how to live it. Just look around. We are messed up as a culture. Why? We are dumb sheep. But there is a harvest. There are people out there who are just waiting to hear about hope…and I need to pray. I need to pray for laborers. When I do, I will be moved with compassion and become one.
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