The Workers Are Few
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
How do you react to the brokenness that you see in the world around you? Are you an activist, looking for ways to get your hands dirty? Are you the kind of person who stirs up others, sharing your views on social media or with friends? Do you feel overwhelmed and unsure where to start? Jesus, having healed all kinds of sickness and experienced judgment for his kindness, looked at the world around him and felt compassion. The word for compassion in this passage is a Greek word that literally means that feeling when you feel pain in your stomach. His command was to pray. If you want the world to change, the first step it always prayer.
Reflect
- How do you react to the challenges of the world around you?
- What strikes you about how Jesus teaches us to pray for the world?
Respond
Pause and pray for your area, that God would send workers to meet the needs.
Thanks for joining us. Leave a comment below to encourage others with your reflections from this passage.
