Church of the Nazarene – East Rock
Learning & Unlearning:
Compassion
Compassion may be what the people around you need most.
Can they count on it from you?
Matthew 24:12
Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,
What does this mean for us today? Those who call Christ Lord? What does it mean to you?
It’s all too easy to give into the currents of the world around us, to allow our love for our neighbor to fade amidst the disruption of our world.
But today, It is not hyperbole to suggest that compassion, love in action, may be the single greatest need of those around us.And His most important demand of the church.
As we continue in with Part 2 of our series, Learning and Un-learning, we will see that Jesus’ heart has always been one of compassion, and he is inviting us to re-learn what that means in our world.
Mark 6:30-34
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
Jesus likened the crowd that day to sheep without a shepherd, here is a glimpse behind that analogy..
Sheep without a shepherd have no protection from predators, they struggle to find pasture or water, the most basic of their needs.
They move about aimlessly, separating from the flock, getting lost, getting into trouble.
Sheep have been known to follow one another other over cliffs as they wander.
They get bored and are prone to wander off, following interest in random things.
But, mostly, and frankly, sheep without a shepherd are eventually dead.
It doesn’t take much imagination to see that the crowd Jesus engaged is not so different from our world today.
So, the question confronts us today friends, if in those moments, compassion was His response, what might ours be?Mark 6:35-43By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.” Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.Jesus didn’t ask his disciples for food for 5 thousand men, he only asked for what they had.
Today, Jesus is not asking you or me for something we don’t have- He is asking us to bring him what we do have and allow him to bless and multiply it.
Can we give a few hours of our week to serve at Boys and Girls club, maybe at the food bank or the clothes closet?
Will I commit to the Lord my tithe’s and offerings to be used in his Kingdom work?
Can I use my work gloves to help out with someone’s lawn?
Or donate some of my time, and a little bit of strength to help a neighbor move?
The truth is friends, we all have something we can give, we all have something the Lord can receive, bless, and multiply in his compassionate response to our world.
Will we commit to un-learning and re-learning what it can mean for us to be a compassionate presence in our world?
Verses for further study/reflection:
Colossians 3:12-13
Matthew 14:14
1 Peter 3:8