35 Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. 36 Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat.”
37 But Jesus said, “You feed them.” Mark 6: 34-37a
In the movie John Q, Denzel plays a distressed father, who benefits & hours were slashed at his work site, and his only son collapses during a little league ball game because he's suffering from an enlarged heart. They discover he is unable to have corrective surgery due to the cost and his own health care coverage whoas. In a moment of frustration, his spouse who's bedside with their son is told they can no longer stay at the hospital and they will be discharging them to go home, essentially to die, and the wife screams at John Q (played by Denzel Washington) to " do something!"
Today we find Jesus' bay side with His disciples and a crowd of people that are hungry for the WORD, and Jesus makes an observation that the people are like a sheep without a shepherd. As He begins to shepherd them (through caring for them, giving them the WORD of life) and time is passing them by, the disciples notice it's late, and they need to send the people off so they can find food. So they report to Jesus the observation, as if He didn't already know, and Jesus shocks them by telling them....."You feed them." It's essential that when we, you and I, make and observation that we don't attempt to pass the buck (let someone else take care of it), make excuses (why we can't do something), procrastinate (we are called to be reconcilers.....not waiters) and not waste time worrying about it......when we could be doing something about it. Now, I say this knowing full well that you may be limited in some areas...but one of those areas shouldn't be prayer for...... We are the riches nation in the world, and surely you can cut out eating out for lunch to have finances for......, or you have an extra_______________ to give away to a family in need.
We are skilled at being critical & nosey. We are constantly looking into the lives of others. We judge the singers on the Voice, X Factor, American Idol. We observe and criticize of how our Pastors or Worship team does on Sunday or Saturday. We make observations about our neighbors. We sit from a very low seat but feel empowered to criticize elected officials, while we don't have all the info needed to be critical. It is said we are our harshest critics....but really......if it is true that when we make and observation, we now have an obligation....what are you doing? Imagine had the discoverers of all of the things we now take for granted; penicillin, electricity, fossil fuels, etc had only observed and never did anything, where would we be as a civilization? Jesus disciples wanted to send the people away, and He told them " you feed them.." What are you doing about the lack of morals on your job? Leaving....oh that should fix it, wrong! What are you doing about the lack of organization or programs at____________________? Leaving....oh that too should fix, wrong! Here's my all time favorite.....I don't feel like I'm being fed......so since you meet there once a week, I totally understand.....cause that tells me you are not feeding yourself Monday-Saturday.....I'd be hungry too!
Christ doesn't soft shoe the needs of the people, nor does He ignore it....but what He does do, He waits for and desires for Us to get involved. So today IS YOUR DAY......as you make observations, you have an obligation, and I pray you are found......."feeding His sheep." LGLP
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