When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.
We notice many different things as we go throughout our day. Some of us are detail-oriented and can tell when one thing is out of place. Others notice when someone we know seems off, sensing a difference in their body language and tone of voice. Still others notice when someone needs help and jump in before they even ask. When Jesus looked at the crowd, He really noticed the people in it. Instead of being overwhelmed by a swarm of people, Jesus saw them; He noticed what was going on in their hearts and was moved with compassion to meet their needs.
As we walk through life, sometimes, we are not noticed or given a second thought. We might feel forgotten or put down. But our God sees people; He notices them and moves toward them. That means when God looks at the world, He doesn’t just see billions of people, He sees you. He sees that you need Him, your Creator, the One whose image you bear. He has moved toward you with compassion through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ so that you can be restored to Him. This is the beauty of the gospel.
Jesus did not keep the crowd far off or only notice a couple of people: He saw them; He knew them; and He moved toward them with compassion and grace. If He has moved toward you in this way, how should this change how you move toward others? We often get overwhelmed by people’s problems and want to stay far away from their needs because of all we have going on. But God has given us His hope and equipped us through His Spirit to receive the compassion from Christ and move toward others with the same grace we have received.
- Do you notice the needs of the people around you? How could you start to notice the needs around you and serve others like Christ to meet those needs?
- How does it feel to know that the God of heaven and earth has moved toward you with compassion through Jesus?
- Pray and thank God for the gift of His grace and how He has seen and taken care of your greatest need through Christ.
