When Jesus saw people in need, His heart was moved, and so He acted.
“But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”Matthew 9:36 (KJV)
What does “Moved with compassion” mean in Matthew 9:36?
The Greek word for compassion describes a deep, gut-level feeling. Jesus saw crowds who were worn down and directionless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Going deeper
Matthew tells us, when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Jesus did not look at the crowds and see a problem to manage. He saw people who were tired, harassed, and lost. Compassion moved Him to teach, to heal, and to send out workers. Feeling and action came together.
Ask what you see when you look at the people around you. Do you see interruptions, or do you see people who are tired and lost? Ask God to give you His eyes and His heart. Then let compassion move you to do something: a kind word, a listening ear, a meal, a prayer. Compassion that stays as a feeling is not yet what Jesus modeled. Let yours become an act of care for someone this week. Let what moves your heart move your hands too, however small the step.
Reflect
Whom do you see this week who seems tired or lost, and how could compassion move you to help?
Pray
Lord Jesus, give me Your compassion for the people around me. Let it move me to act, and use me to bring care to those who are weary. In Jesus' name, amen.
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